A positive Change by Aminul Islam (Former BD Captain)

[Ehsan]

A positive change
Aminul Islam Bulbul

The tour of Pakistan was probably one of the best overseas ventures for Bangladesh so far.
We produced some great performances in the one-day matches and Tests. We fought bravely in all the Test matches from Karachi to Multan. We improved in every game.

In Karachi we played well. In Peshawar we gave Pakistan a big scare. If we had another spinner like Mohammad Rafique, the story could have been different. Then in Multan, apart from the result we won the match from every aspect.

Before leaving for Pakistan we had set our target to play for atleast four days in the Tests. We not only achieved that target but almost won a game in four days against one of the giants in world cricket.

We lost the matches only because we could not keep our nerve till the end. It was understandable because many of the players of this team have never gone through such situations even in the domestic league.

The Bangladesh team that played in the last World Cup and the one that went to Pakistan were almost the same. But performance-wise the difference was like chalk and cheese.

Bangladesh team's total attitude has changed. They now look to make things happen. Their body language and mental spirit is very different than it was in the past.


A lot of credit must be given to the new think tank for this transformation.

Present captain Khaled Mahmud is very popular among the players. He knows how to motivate his men. This is an essential quality for a captain.


One person has made it all possible. He is Dav Whatmore, the best cricket coach in the world at this moment. We are lucky to have him. I have some wonderful memories of working with Dav for the Victoria Cricket Association in Australia. fourteen years ago.

Dav did not get enough opportunities in Australia. He was one of the best opening batsmen for the Victoria state team. Even with such talent he had to be happy with just being a development coach of the VCA.

His turning point came when he left Australia and joined Sri Lanka. He took the Lankans to World Cup glory, managed Lancashire for some time and is now on a mission to rescue Bangladesh from depths of despair.


In the past, we have had two legendary cricketers like Gordon Greenidge and Eddie Barlow as coach. During the tenure of Gordon Greenidge our forward journey began. We won the ICC Trophy for the very first time and had a highly successful World Cup'99. When Greenidge departed our performance curve went down again.

Eddie Barlow did a superb job during his time. He was a great motivator and a proper guardian for the players. His unfortunate illness was one of the biggest setbacks for our cricket.

When Barlow left, we were in deep waters. Suddenly everybody started criticising us. Our Test status was under threat. But with Dav on our side, we are beginning to see light.

Dav won't be here forever. When that day comes, will our performance go down again?

There are so many things to learn form coaches like Dav. Why don't we take those things in our hearts and try to implement them? Dav's influence will only benefit our infrastructure and the standard of local coaches and the more we can take from him, the more learned we will become.

That way we will have a confident national team in future which can function like a programmed device and our performance won't continue to be up and down.


(The writer is a former Bangla-desh cricket captain)

[Ehsan]

Thats impressive.

[chinaman]

No doubt about it.

[Kana-Baba]

It's impressive. But where did you get this article? in The Daily star?

Nannu is going to open a cricket academy in chiattagong. What about Bulbul? Anyone know anything about him? What's his next mission?

[Ehsan]

Yeah Kana-bAba I got it from Daily Star.

[fwullah]

He pointed out an interesting thing there.

Bangladesh has always done better under good coaches. If the coaches were not good enough, Bangladesh could not perform.

[chinaman]

Point worth noting.

[Zobair]

Well good coaches aren't around forever. I hope by the time whatmore leaves he manages to instill some of his professionalism into the BCCB set-up, so that we don't have another freefall!

[Carte Blanche]

Just out of curiousity, is Bulbul a regular columnist in Daily Star?

[acbizz]

I think BCCB appointed him as a junior level selector a few months ago.

[rafiq]

No I don't think Bulbul can be called a regular columnist. In the past couple of years he has done a lot of whining, good to see him have a more positive frame of mind.