No room for luxury in team selection, says Salahuddin
Senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin during today's practice, Cricfrenzy
After losing the first T20I against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh bounced back with a win in the second match, making three changes in the playing XI — bringing in Jaker Ali, Mustafizur Rahman, and Shoriful Islam in place of Naim Sheikh, Taskin Ahmed, and Tanzim Hasan Sakib.
With the series now poised for a decider, discussions are underway on whether Bangladesh should retain the winning combination or make further changes. However, senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin made it clear on Tuesday that the team has very limited options and no luxury to experiment.
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Speaking to reporters ahead of the third T20I, Salahuddin explained that the current squad lacks flexibility, especially in the absence of Shakib Al Hasan, whose presence previously allowed the team to play either an extra batter or bowler.
“Let me explain again — we really don’t have the luxury to experiment too much. Sometimes we’re short on batters, sometimes bowlers,” Salahuddin said.
“When Shakib was part of the team, we had that flexibility. We could afford to play an extra bowler or an extra batter. But now, we have to build our XI based on the current strength and conditions.”
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The team is also reportedly considering the inclusion of Nasum Ahmed, but that may require dropping leg-spinner Rishad Hossain or sacrificing a batter — a move that could affect balance.
“We know playing Nasum could benefit us. But that might mean benching Rishad or someone else,” Salahuddin added.
“We have to balance everything based on the opponent, players' form, injuries, and overall composition. Nothing is easy — every choice has a trade-off.”
