Bangladesh Axe Ashraful as Batting Coach
- Suggested slug: bangladesh-axe-ashraful-batting-coach-west-indies-tests
- Category: Sports
- Focus keyphrase: Mohammad Ashraful Bangladesh batting coach
- SEO title: Bangladesh Axe Ashraful as Batting Coach
- Meta description: Bangladesh removed Mohammad Ashraful as batting coach before the West Indies Tests, with Mohammad Salahuddin taking charge on an interim basis.
- Tags: Mohammad Ashraful, Bangladesh cricket, BCB, West Indies Tests, Mohammad Salahuddin, Sher-e-Bangla, World Test Championship, batting coach
- Original element: local angle: for Pakistani readers, the change ends a tenure that included Bangladesh beating Pakistan 2-0 in a Test series in May, with Mushfiqur Rahim named player of that series
- Sources: Geo Super (https://www.geosuper.tv/latest/60738-bangladesh-axe-mohammad-ashraful-as-batting-coach-ahead-of-west-indies-tests)
- Date: Sunday, 25 October 2026 (Ashraful left the team group on Saturday, 24 October 2026; West Indies series starts 28 October 2026)
The Bangladesh Cricket Board has removed former international batter Mohammad Ashraful from his role as the national team’s batting coach ahead of the upcoming two-match Test series against the West Indies.
The series, part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27, will begin at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on 28 October.
Ashraful was informed of the decision by the board’s cricket operations department. The former Bangladesh captain subsequently left the national players’ WhatsApp group on Saturday, 24 October, posting a brief “Thank You” message.
A short, public farewell
Ashraful later confirmed that he was no longer working with the national team. “Yes, I am not working with the national team,” he said. He had conducted a training session with the national cricketers at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium earlier on Saturday.
“I am waiting for my next assignment,” he added.
The board’s High Performance Unit head coach, Mohammad Salahuddin, is expected to replace Ashraful on an interim basis for the home Test series against the West Indies. A board official said the board is in discussion with some foreign batting coaches, which suggests the interim arrangement may not last long.
The timing is stark. A batting coach leaves days before a home Test series, after running a training session on the same day. That sequence points to a decision taken late and communicated plainly, rather than a planned handover.
Why the board acted now
Ashraful’s departure comes amid concerns over Bangladesh’s inconsistent batting performances, particularly during the Asian Games in Japan and the tri-nation series in Abu Dhabi.
During his tenure, which began in November 2025, Bangladesh won five of their eight Test matches, drew one and lost two. His stint also coincided with several notable achievements. Bangladesh swept Ireland 2-0 in a Test series and secured an identical result against Pakistan in May. Mushfiqur Rahim was named Player of the Series against Pakistan after scoring 253 runs, including his record-extending 14th Test century for Bangladesh.
The team also secured their first-ever men’s ODI series victory over Australia in June, winning 2-1, after defeating Pakistan by the same margin in March.
However, Bangladesh’s performances across formats were mixed. They drew their Test series against Australia 1-1 in August, winning the opening match in Darwin before suffering a heavy defeat in Mackay, where they were bowled out for 64 and lost inside two days. Australia also completed a 3-0 clean sweep in the T20I series against Bangladesh in June.
Despite the inconsistent results, Bangladesh recorded 11 centuries in 34 international matches between November 2025 and October 2026, a notable return during Ashraful’s tenure.
What it means for the West Indies series
The board’s decision to part ways with the former batter comes as Bangladesh prepare to face the West Indies in a crucial home Test series, with the team seeking greater consistency from their batting line-up.
For Pakistani readers, the change carries a direct link. The tenure that just ended included a Test series win over Pakistan in May, built on Mushfiqur Rahim’s 253 runs. Whoever takes the batting coach’s job next will be judged, in part, on whether Bangladesh can repeat that kind of batting display at home, starting against the West Indies on 28 October.
An interim coach, a squad that has just lost its batting coach, and a home series starting within days: that is a difficult combination. Salahuddin’s first task is not a new batting philosophy. It is steadiness, so that a team with proven batting talent walks out at Sher-e-Bangla settled rather than unsettled.
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