“I Try To Bring Some Psychological Safety Around The Group” - Bangladesh Head Coach Chandika Hathurusingha

Last Update on: March 26th, 2023 at 04:27 pm

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Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha said that he has created a “psychological safety” environment for his players, allowing them to freely express themselves and feel encouraged. Hathurusingha said that this will help the players open up freely in the dressing room and bring out the best in the team even if they fail once or twice.

Chandika Hathurusingha returned to Bangladesh as head coach after six years and encouraged the team to play an aggressive brand of cricket. Bangladesh won two of their first three series at home, beating world champion England 3-0 in a T20I series and Ireland 2-0 in ODIs, with one game washed out. The Bangla Tigers are favourites in the upcoming T20I and Test series against Ireland.

They Are The Same Players, And We Trust Them – Chandika Hathurusingha

Chandika Hathurusingha said that it’s important to have an environment that will help the players express themselves without worrying about outcomes and repercussions.

“If you can create the environment where the players can do their best without worrying about outcome, [and] repercussions – not only from coaches or selectors, even from their peers. If they can be free to try things; if they fail, they are still okay. They are the same players, and we trust them,” Chandika Hathurusingha said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

“I think that’s the biggest change that [has] happened recently. The other coaches also mentioned to me that’s the biggest change. That’s what I am trying to create as well. I know that if you create an environment like that, the only way forward is if they can do their best. If their best is not good enough on some days, we will lose. That’s the game,” he added.

I Don’t Think Anything Has Changed – Chandika Hathurusingha

Hathurusingha believes that the atmosphere around the Bangladesh dressing room has not changed since his return. He said that he is trying to provide some psychological safety by reminding them that their skills remain the same regardless of the results.

“Only the environment [has] changed a little bit inside the dressing room, and in the way we speak and what we talk about. I try to bring some psychological safety around the group. I make sure to tell them that just because of the results – whether they do well or fail – their value doesn’t diminish,” he said.

“We look at them with the same mindset. They are valuable. We select them for their skillset. Other than that, I don’t think anything has changed. I don’t know what happened before, but their skills are the same,” he added.

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