ICC T20 World Cup 2022: "Equated With MS Dhoni...": Bangladesh Coach Sridharan Sriram On Veteran's Exclusion From T20 World Cup Squad

Sridharan Sriram, the head coach of Bangladesh, has explained why Mahmudullah, a former captain, was not selected for the T20 World Cup team. Over the past ten years, the seasoned all-rounder has played a crucial role in Bangladesh cricket.

However, Sriram remarked that the board and management believed it was time to move on and groom fresh people to replace Mahmudullah absence. Because of their finishing skills at No. 6, the coach also compared the all-rounder to Indian legend, MS Dhoni.

Here is what Sriram had to say about leaving out the seasoned all-rounder when speaking to reporters on Wednesday:

“There should always be successors in mind. My comparisons of Mahmudullah to Dhoni have always been based on how well he has done. Similar to how Dhoni batted at No. 6 for India, he did so. He also completed many games for Bangladesh. Dhoni could not continue to play, right?”

“You have to decide on the successors of players. It’s the right time to find someone who could play the role of Mahmudullah in the team. If new players don’t play, then we won’t find any alternative.”

Sridharan Sriram discusses his conversation with Mahmudullah:

The Bangladeshi coach Sridharan Sriram claimed that it was he who undertook the challenging task of having an open discussion with the legend, who is 36 years old. Even though he was the “bad guy in the conversation,” Sridharan Sriram admitted that he had the “utmost respect” for a person who had consistently delivered outstanding results for his nation:

“It is never an easy conversation. He is the most capped T20 player in Bangladesh. I have the utmost respect for him. I have to be the bad man in the conversation.”

Squad: Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Afif Hossain, Mossadek Hossain, Litton Das, Yasir Ali, Nurul Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Najmul Hossain, Nasum Ahmed.

Standby: Soumya Sarkar, Shoriful Islam, Rishad Hossain, Shak Mahedi Hasan.