Ashraful Removed as Bangladesh Batting Coach: Why Was the Coach Who Ran Morning Practice Removed in the Evening?

Mohammad Ashraful's voice echoed through the morning nets at Mirpur Academy. Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Sadman Islam — Bangladesh's opening pair — were batting under his watch. Ashraful, a former national captain, was settling into his new role as batting coach. Hours later, that same evening, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced his removal. The morning coach, unemployed by evening. This is not just a coaching change — it is a specimen of Bangladesh cricket's decision-making, where result pressure has overwhelmed process. Mohammad Ashraful was appointed Bangladesh's batting coach in November 2026. His appointment was itself a bold step, given his controversial past. Banished for spot-fixing in 2026, his return to a national role was always a risk for any board. But the BCB showed faith — perhaps because he is a former captain who could offer technical guidance to young batters. However, within less than a year, questions arose about his role. The trigger was Bangladesh's recent tri-nation series in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where the batting unit failed badly. The opposition's name, the margin of defeat, or any innings score — none of it was publicly detailed. But media and fans pointed one finger: Mohammad Ashraful. The most fascinating aspect here is that the UAE is a neutral venue. This was not the comfort of home conditions where batters know how the pitch will behave. UAE pitches are usually flat and batting-friendly, but the dew factor under lights complicates things for bowlers. If Bangladesh's batting failure is viewed technically, it points toward a lack of adaptation against pace and bounce rather than spin-friendly conditions. But this is only a directional inference, as the original article contains no match-level data. According to available information, Ashraful was specifically tasked with working with Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Sadman Islam — the opening pair. His main job was to fix their technical flaws. This is exactly the zone where Bangladesh's batting breaks down most often. The top-order fragility is nothing new — it is a decades-old problem. Expecting a new coach to solve this in a few months, and then making him the scapegoat for its failure, reveals a deeper structural flaw. The manner of Ashraful's removal is equally contentious. He conducted the morning practice session, and by evening the board issued a press release. No reason for the removal was stated. The BCB mentioned assigning him to another role, but it is unclear what that role will be. Such a decision appears to have come from the board's top administration rather than the coaching committee. Otherwise, executing it with such haste and without any formal review would not have been possible. The BCB has also arranged an interim measure. High Performance department head coach Mohammad Salahuddin has been appointed as interim batting coach. This means the board had no ready successor. It signals that the decision was not planned but taken under pressure. Salahuddin is an experienced coach, but he has been given only a temporary role. This implies the board is searching for an external — possibly foreign — batting coach for the long term. An overlooked aspect here is that this decision reduces a batting problem to one individual rather than solving it. Bangladesh's batting weakness is not new. It existed before Ashraful and will remain after his exit. If the team performs similarly in the next series, will Salahuddin also be removed the same way? This question points to a deeper issue in the BCB's decision-making: immediate decisions based on outcomes, without structural review. The role of media and fans cannot be ignored either. In South Asian cricket, there is an old habit of personalizing failure. Ashraful's removal may be seen as 'accountability delivered,' but the real question is whether this accountability will improve batting. Will removing a coach fix the technical flaws of the top order? Will Shanto and Sadman suddenly become better batters? The answer is probably 'no.' Ashraful's past spot-fixing ban also gives this entire episode a different color. By giving him a respectful 'alternative role,' the board has tried to avoid a public controversy. This could be a political move, but it also raises the question of whether coaching appointments are based on cricketing merit or influenced by board politics. The biggest risk now is that the team enters a major tournament with an interim coach. If this UAE series was preparation for a global event, the coaching instability could be even more consequential. Finding a foreign coach will take time, and until then the team will play without a permanent batting specialist. This is a risk the BCB may not have fully understood. Over the years, I have observed this pattern in South Asian boards: making the coach the scapegoat after a series defeat, then importing a foreign specialist. This is not a solution — it is a way to delay the problem. The real solution lies in going to the root of the batting issue, understanding why batters like Shanto and Sadman consistently struggle at neutral venues. Is it a matter of technique, or mentality? Are they using the correct footwork against fast bowling? Is their shot selection sound, or do they play wild shots under pressure? Changing the coach will not answer these questions. What happens next after Ashraful's exit is a test for Bangladesh cricket. If the BCB quickly appoints a permanent qualified coach and works on the structural batting issues, this event could prove a turning point. But if this is just another meaningless change, Bangladesh's batting will remain where it has always been — stuck in the quicksand of uncertainty. Every coaching change has a cost. What is the cost of removing Ashraful? The journey from the morning practice session to the evening press release has left Bangladesh cricket with its biggest question: Did the BCB remove a weak coach, or did it sacrifice an individual to save a weak system? The answer will be decided in the coming months, when the new coach arrives and Bangladesh's batting is tested again.