[Sohel]

Those who know me, both here and in real life, know what I'm going to say.

I won't use the term deadwood but strongly feel we have next gen batsmen with SIGNIFICANTLY better ability ready to outperform them in the middle. Sure they can get better but not in the picnic environment of the NCL making a mockery of the very concept of FC and List A. I think barring adequate A team and HIP tours, they have a far better chance of getting better at at the highest level. Whether they can make a smooth enough transition into the highest level, and are given the long enough opportunity to to try and do so is another story. But I do believe that they deserve a chance.

Bijoy has shown what he can do, and Shourobh has given us glimpses of what he offers. Both will continue to get better InshAllah. Guys like Hom and Rumman are in the pipeline and I'm certain they'll do well also. Soumya and Sohan will be in the pipeline within a couple of years and all of this represents the end of complacency. The end of complacency not only for players with limited ability but also players who cannot make the transition.

Even mainstays will have to push themselves to be better to stay ahead of the competition. The culture of underachievement will turn on its head because of such competition, and that will make us stronger than we imagine. Remember that even our most senior players are pretty young and still a few years away from hitting their peak years from the late 20s to the mid 30s. I think we have a great future ahead of us InshAllah.

Having said all that, I don't see a future for the Rocky, Nazza!, Imroze, ShuVo and Imrul or any of the fabled players before them anymore, and feel that even decent players like Riyad and Nayeem will need to perform at a much higher level or risk being replaced by those who can.

I hope we start producing bowlers just as promising but they'll need better pitches do their best.