Following discontent with Bangladesh Cricket Board, the country's top players could go on a strike and possibly even skip the upcoming tour of India. These players have called on a press conference on Monday (October 21) afternoon where they'll be expressing their issues with the BCB's management of cricket in the nation.
The major trigger, says a report in ESPNcricinfo, is believed to be the decision to abandon the franchise-model the Bangladesh Premier League followed.
It significantly lowers the players average earning, a woe only enhanced with the BCB also deciding to not raise the match fees in First-Class cricket. Having already put a cap on salaries at the Dhaka Premier League, which used to have an open market for club-to-club transfer of players.
Shakib Al Hasan, the Test and T20I captain, just recently went public over the matter saying the players remain "suppressed" by the board and deserve better treatment. Shakib also said he doesn't see any long-term planning in Bangladesh cricket.
"Actually, we only focus on whatever series we have going on. But if it's something like a World Cup, then maybe we plan six to eight months in advance. Otherwise, we only focus on the ongoing series. It's a cultural thing," he told Dhaka-based Daily Star in an interview.
"People expect that we will win all matches. We plant a tree and crave the fruits the very next day. This is why it's difficult to plan long-term."
Citing the example of England, which has had people like former skipper Andrew Strauss holding the most important of positions to influence the game in the country, Shakib added Bangladesh needs to follow suit.
"The guardians of the country's cricket have a big role to play here," he said. "You have to be firm about how you will support the players. A long-term policymaker is needed in this regard. Then a lot of good things will happen. There is a lot to be changed and it's a technical matter."
"There are points about requirements. It will be good when someone takes these factors into account while planning."
"For instance, England has [chair of the ECB's cricket committee] Andrew Strauss, who plans everything. The planning of the last four years is all his. We need someone like that who can plan only regarding cricket, someone with foresight," he concluded.
(Inputs from ESPNcricinfo)
