Mashrafe Mortaza Not A Part Of The Future Plans: Ottis Gibson

Mashrafe Mortaza is probably the greatest captain in Bangladesh cricket history. It is under the leadership of Mortaza that Bangladesh shrugged off their minnows tag and went on to become one of the dark horses of the modern era.

But, as they say, every good thing must come to an end. And, Mortaza is certainly nearing the end of his career. Mashrafe Mortaza, 36, has been struggling with fitness and form for some time now and bowling coach Ottis Gibson feels that the fast bowler should announce his retirement and look at other options of contributing to Bangladesh cricket as head coach Russell Domingo aims to build a team for the 2023 World Cup.

“I think if Russell is now trying to build a team for the future, then I don’t know what part Mashrafe will have to play in that. Perhaps now is his time, with all that’s going on in the world, to move on,” Ottis Gibson told Bengali Daily ‘Prothom Alo’.

He added: “He can find other ways to pass on his vast knowledge and experience to the young guys. I don’t think he has to be on the field to be able to pass on what he has learned over his career. He needs to find other ways to pass on that message.”

Also Read: Mashrafe Mortaza Offers Invaluable Advice To Newly Elected Captain Tamim Iqbal In How To Nail The Leadership Role

Russell Domingo would want to give the opportunity to young fast bowlers in Mashrafe Mortaza’s place for the future: Ottis Gibson

With the next World Cup set to be held in India in three years time, Gibson reckoned that Russell Domingo will be looking to build the pace attack for the future by giving opportunities to the likes of Ebadot Hossain, Mehedi Hasan Rana, Khaled Ahmed and other youngsters in the domestic circuit in place of Mashrafe Mortaza.

“With the next World Cup in 2023, any international coach will now start to build a team. I am quite sure that’s what Russell will be thinking,” said Gibson, who had assumed the role of the bowling coach back in January.

“So he would want to see players like young Hasan Mahmud, (Mohammad) Saifuddin, Shafiul (Islam) and Ebadot (Hossain). We haven’t seen Ebadot in white-ball cricket yet. There’s Taskin (Ahmed) and Khaled (Ahmed) gets fit again. We have Hasan and (Mehedi Hasan) Rana. So there”s a lot of young cricketers in the country.” he added.

For the uninitiated, Mashrafe Mortaza last played an ODI series in February against Zimbabwe, post which he stepped down from the leadership role. Prior to the series, BCB chief Nazmul Hassan Papon had said that Mashrafe Mortaza’s future selection will be subjected to his fitness standards and his overall form.

Also Read: Mashrafe Mortaza Reveals The Reason Behind His Success Against Andre Russell