Bangladesh Cricket (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu)

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) finds itself at a crossroads, projecting stability on the cricketing front while grappling with deepening uncertainty in its administration. Key decisions taken during the fourth Board of Directors meeting in Dhaka on Saturday underline a dual narrative of long-term planning and immediate crisis management.Leadership Continuity and Coaching Boost Signal Cricketing StabilityIn a major move, the BCB reaffirmed its leadership structure across formats. Mehidy Hasan Miraz will continue as Bangladesh’s ODI captain until the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027, while Litton Das will lead the T20I side through to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2028.To strengthen leadership depth, Najmul Hossain Shanto and Saif Hassan have been named vice-captains for ODIs and T20Is, respectively. The decisions reflect the board’s intent to provide continuity and clarity in leadership during a crucial phase for Bangladesh cricket.The board also bolstered its coaching setup by appointing former spinner Mohammad Rafique as a specialist spin-bowling coach and consultant for a one-year term. A pioneer of Bangladesh cricket, Rafique is expected to play a key role in nurturing spin talent across all levels.On-field progress has already been visible under Mehidy’s leadership, with Bangladesh securing notable series wins against West Indies in 2025 and Pakistan earlier this year.Beyond team matters, the BCB approved a new Human Resources policy aimed at improving transparency and efficiency. It also launched two digital platforms, the Player Data App and Cloud Server App, to enhance performance analysis and data-driven decision-making.Administrative Crisis Deepens with Wave of ResignationsHowever, these forward-looking steps come amid mounting instability within the board. Three directors: Saniyan Taneem, Mehrab Alam, and Faiazur Rahman resigned on Saturday, taking the total number of departures from the current board to six.Their exit follows the recent resignation of Yasir Mohammed Faysal Ashique, intensifying concerns over internal discord. Earlier, Amzad Hussain and Ishtiaque Sadeeque had also stepped down, citing personal reasons.An investigation committee formed by the BCB is expected to submit its report by April 9, after which the government will decide on the board’s future. There is growing speculation that the board could be dissolved, with an ad hoc committee, potentially led by a former Bangladesh captain, being prepared as a contingency.BCB Seeks Reset in Relations with BCCIAmid the uncertainty, the BCB is also attempting to rebuild strained ties with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Relations between the two boards had deteriorated following Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the T20 World Cup due to security concerns.The situation worsened after Mustafizur Rahman’s IPL participation became a point of contention, ultimately leading to Bangladesh being replaced by Scotland in the tournament.The fallout extended to bilateral cricket, with Bangladesh’s women’s tour of India cancelled and doubts lingering over India’s scheduled white-ball tour of Bangladesh in September.In an effort to restore normalcy, the BCB has reached out to the BCCI, proposing renewed engagements and exchange programmes. Cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedin expressed optimism about receiving a response soon, calling it part of routine communication between cricket boards.

Rajasthan Royals’ Ravi Bishnoi, second left, celebrates with teammates (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra heaped praise on Ravi Bishnoi for his decisive spell in Rajasthan Royals’ narrow six-run win over Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026. He also remarked that the leg-spinner was undervalued at the auction and deserved a significantly higher price. Chasing 211 in Ahmedabad on April 4, Gujarat were undone largely by Bishnoi’s impact with the ball. The wrist-spinner returned figures of 4/41 from his four overs, striking at key moments to tilt the game in Rajasthan’s favour. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra reflected on Bishnoi’s value and performance. “Ravi Bishnoi, we were talking at the time of the auction that he was sold very cheaply – seven crores is cheap. He should have got 10-11 crores. He was a brilliant acquisition at seven crores. He picked up four wickets and made the difference in the end because all the important wickets were in his name.” Chopra also reserved special praise for Tushar Deshpande, who delivered under pressure in the final over to seal the game. “Tushar Deshpande came into the team and Brijesh Sharma wasn’t there, and what a change in the end because Tushar Deshpande was standing between a win and a loss. Tushar Deshpande executed those yorkers beautifully. Thumbs up with both hands for executing under pressure,” he observed. Deshpande finished with figures of 1/24 in three overs and held his nerve in the final over, conceding just four runs while dismissing Rashid Khan when Gujarat needed 11 off six balls. Earlier in the innings, Dhruv Jurel played a standout knock, scoring 75 off 42 deliveries to anchor Rajasthan’s innings. Chopra praised his maturity, especially after being promoted up the order this season. “Before that, Dhruv Jurel. They have taken a big call this season to make him bat at No. 3, and he was absolutely stellar. He batted almost till the end. He scored his first Test century at this ground only. Very good guy. I love him to bits. I feel very happy when he does well. Then their two openers. In my opinion, Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal are the most explosive openers of this league,” he said. Alongside Jurel, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (31 off 18) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (55 off 36) provided Rajasthan with a strong start at the top. On the other hand, Chopra pointed out shortcomings in Gujarat’s chase, suggesting that better planning could have changed the result. “GT, this match was yours. There are problems in batting. Shubman Gill’s injury, of course, didn’t help, but wickets fell at regular intervals. I thought it was a slightly haphazard chase. You could have won this game had you constructed it slightly better,” Chopra observed. Despite a solid 73 off 44 from Sai Sudharsan, Gujarat lost momentum after his dismissal. From a strong position of 107/1 in 10.3 overs, the innings unraveled, allowing Rajasthan to complete a dramatic turnaround.

MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli (Image credit: BCCI/IPL Photo)

NEW DELHI: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru are riding high on confidence after kicking off their IPL 2026 campaign with a win over Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Now, an exciting southern derby between RCB and Chennai Super Kings is on the cards – undoubtedly a marquee clash.While RCB head into the contest on the back of a victory, CSK arrive with two consecutive defeats, against Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings.Are CSK missing Mahendra Singh Dhoni? Is his absence hurting the side after losses in their first two matches of the tournament?The wait for Dhoni will continue. He will not feature in the playing XI against RCB either.