BCB aiming for backup players amid tight schedule

Bangladesh have a tight schedule coming up for them in the next cycle of the Future Tours Programme of the International Cricket Council, and thus Bangladesh Cricket Board is looking to find backup players to maintain a rotation policy in the national team.

In the next cycle from 2023 to 2027, Bangladesh reportedly have 34 Tests, along with 59 One-Day Internationals. In total, they are set to play 144 matches in the next cycle, the second-highest among all nations.

In such a situation, BCB is now forced to look for players who will serve as backups of the national team players without a downgrade in quality. With the heavy workload, they will need to distribute the duties.

BCB cricket operations chairman Jalal Yunus hinted at that already.

“In the last few years, we did not have too many matches. We tried, but could not get much in the FTP. We think it’s (the new FTP) very congested. We have to play a lot and be professional. We cannot get out of it.

“So, there comes the matter of resting players. Mainly, the fast bowlers need rest. We have to rotate them if the schedule is tight. We don’t think batsmen and spinners will face much trouble. What we need to do is to organise practice and resting sessions properly. Then we will be able to do everything properly till 2027,” he told the media on Thursday.

In that mission, Bangladesh have rejuvenated their A team program, alongside their Bangladesh Tigers and High-Performance program.

The A team has already left for West Indies, where they will play two unofficial Tests and three 50-over matches. That team includes players like Mohammad Mithun, Soumya Sarkar, and Sabbir Rahman- who were part of the national team in the past.

Jalal reiterated that they were thinking more seriously about the Bangladesh A team now in their hunt for backup players.

“I said during the discussion with A team that we had to give them the importance and bring them to a good position. The players who are here are either up-and-coming players or players who have been dropped from the national side. Previously, this team was not taken much seriously. But from now, the series of the A team has to be taken with seriousness.

“We will get the backup players for the national team here. And that is why this team is sometimes more important than the national team. If we can get Bangladesh A touring and playing regularly, we will find the backup players we are looking for,” Jalal said.