Rishad Hossain has delivered back-to-back explosive cameos with the bat in the ongoing ODI series against West Indies. Particularly aggressive in the second ODI on Tuesday, Rishad came in at number nine and smashed 39 runs off just 14 balls, including three fours and three sixes. While other batters struggled to score, Rishad’s attacking approach stood out. Yet, despite his form, he was not chosen to bat in the Super Over, a decision that has sparked criticism of the team management.
The decision not to send Rishad into the Super Over has raised questions from fans and pundits alike. Among the critics is former national team performance analyst Mohsin Sheikh, who appeared to take a dig at the current management on social media. Without naming anyone, Mohsin wrote, “When you are not in the dressing room, you question the local players’ common sense. Now that you are in charge, where is that common sense?”
Though he did not mention anyone specifically, the post is widely believed to be aimed at Mohammad Salahuddin. The current coach has previously been vocal about local cricketers, often criticising them for lacking common sense and playing what he described as “brainless cricket.”
During his time as head coach of Comilla in the Bangladesh Premier League, Salahuddin had remarked, “I ask for a little bit of common sense from our local players. I doubt whether they even have it. If you have played domestic cricket in Mirpur for 15 years, you should know what to do. If you still lack that, I am disappointed. I even wonder whether our boys think about cricket at all.”
Mohsin Sheikh previously served as the performance analyst for the Bangladesh national team. His departure followed the exit of head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, with reports suggesting that Mohsin’s close association with the Sri Lankan coach may have influenced the decision not to renew his contract.
Before working with Bangladesh, Mohsin was part of the support staff for national teams including Afghanistan, Australia and Pakistan. He is also well known in franchise leagues, having worked in the BPL, PSL, Big Bash and even the IPL. Most recently, he was with Khulna Tigers in the last edition of the BPL.
