Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has a well-worn path when it comes to the tricky wicket of appointing foreign coaches. Cast your minds back to the chaos that unfolded after Chandrika Hathurusingha's first stint in charge came to an abrupt end. The BCB, in a right old pickle, were forced to find a replacement at breakneck speed. Enter Gary Kirsten, the golden goose turned coaching guru, who eventually landed the role in June of the following year.
Now, it's worth noting that Kirsten wasn't exactly top of the BCB's wishlist initially. Their hearts were set on the man who masterminded India's 2011 World Cup triumph in a consultancy role. Kirsten, ever the busy bee, initially agreed, but ultimately his schedule proved too chock-a-block for the Bangladeshis.
However, Kirsten wasn't one to leave the BCB empty-handed. He graciously agreed to lend a hand in the recruitment process for Bangladesh's next coach. This is how Steve Rhodes's Bangladeshi odyssey began, all thanks to Kirsten's influence.
BCB bigwigs are all too aware of the growing influence of franchise cricket on the availability of top coaches. Take Mushtaq Ahmed, for example. The Bangladesh team were keen on securing his services as a spin bowling coach before the T20 World Cup. But alas, his schedule was absolutely rammed until next December. Coaching the England U-19s followed by a hectic franchise cricket spell meant Mushtaq could only be signed on a piecemeal basis.
As BCB CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury wryly observed, "Finding a coach is a real challenge these days, and it's only going to get tougher. The global cricketing landscape has expanded, and coaches are naturally drawn to the short-term contracts offered by domestic tournaments. It's a win-win for them, you can't blame them for that."
