New Delhi, March 1: Bangladesh cricket legend Habibul Bashar finds himself at a crossroads. The former captain is undecided about applying for the national selection panel head position, as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has opened the role to public applications for the first time.
This shift comes after chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain completed his two-year term and stepped down. Bashar had long been viewed as the frontrunner to succeed him. Instead, BCB announced advertisements for two vacancies in the selection panel, with a deadline of March 8.
Bashar served eight years as a selector under Faruk Ahmed and Minhajul Abedin before the panel’s recent reshape in February 2024. Balancing his current duties in BCB’s game development program, he is weighing his options carefully.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Bashar said, ‘I’m not sure yet if I’ll send my CV. I’m still working with BCB, so I need to figure out why I should apply before making a final decision.’
BCB cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedin explained the move aims to ensure transparency and expand the talent pool. ‘There might be others beyond our usual picks who are qualified and deserving. We want to check their capabilities and make the process fair,’ he stated.
Abedin emphasized selecting the best candidates while identifying future selectors. ‘We’ll pick those we deem most capable, but this opens multiple opportunities. If someone proves they’re suitable, great. Plus, with two spots, we’ll discover who’s interested in our system.’
This step aligns with BCB’s long-term vision to strengthen selection structures across levels. Meanwhile, Ashraf received a one-month extension for continuity as the successor search and panel expansion proceed.