Salahuddin Adjusts to Gen Z Cricketers, Regrets Missing Nahid Rana

For many years, Mohammad Salahuddin has worked with cricketers across different stages of the game, building a wealth of coaching experience along the way. Yet, after becoming head coach of Bangladesh’s High Performance (HP) programme, he feels the greatest challenge is not technical coaching but understanding a completely new generation of players. In his view, adapting to the mindset of modern, technology-oriented youngsters is essential if a coach wants to get the best out of them.

Alongside his involvement with the national setup, Salahuddin is now heavily engaged with the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s HP programme. Speaking to the media, he explained that today’s players belong to the Gen Z era and have grown up in a world dominated by smartphones and digital communication. Because of that, he believes coaches must adjust their own methods and behaviour. Otherwise, creating an effective coaching environment becomes much more difficult.

Although Salahuddin has previously worked closely with established cricketers from the Bangladesh national team, the Bangladesh Premier League, and the Dhaka Premier League, he considers the HP role very different. Most of the players in the programme are still developing their careers, so building trust and communication is just as important as improving skills. He acknowledged that younger players may initially feel intimidated by a senior coach, but his goal is to reduce that distance and create a relationship that allows him to bring out their maximum potential.

Even though his current focus is on the HP unit, Salahuddin remains connected to the national team. He is contracted with the Bangladesh Cricket Board until the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, and he says coaching itself is what gives him the greatest satisfaction. According to him, being on the field, teaching players, and helping young cricketers improve is something he genuinely enjoys, regardless of whether they are stars or beginners. He also feels confident that he can adapt quickly to players who belong to generations younger than his own.

Salahuddin was appointed Bangladesh’s senior assistant coach in November 2024. His original agreement was set to run until the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, but the board later extended it through the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

The experienced coach also discussed Bangladesh’s upcoming two-match Test series against Australia. He admitted that he is disappointed by the absence of fast bowler Nahid Rana, who has been ruled out through injury. Salahuddin had been particularly excited to see the young pacer challenge Australian batters with his pace and aggressive short-pitched bowling, believing it would have added a special thrill to the contest.

Despite that setback, he does not think Bangladesh’s bowling attack is without hope. In his opinion, the remaining bowlers can still perform strongly if they use their skills intelligently and execute their plans with discipline.

Bangladesh will begin the Test series against Australia on August 13 in Darwin, while the second and final Test will start on August 22 in Mackay. Australia currently leads the ICC World Test Championship standings, but Bangladesh will also enter the series with growing confidence and a strong competitive position.