Bangladesh Cricket Board must not let Heath Streak go

According to The Hindu, current bowling coach of Bangladesh cricket team and former Zimbabwe cricketer Heath Streak is keen to work as a fast bowling coach at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy (NCA) at Bengaluru. He has offered his services through his London-based agent Tom Harwood. At present, Streak is the bowling coach of IPL team Gujarat Lions.

NCA chairman Niranjan Shah received Streak’s application and CV and then, he sent it to the BCCI joint. hon. secretary, Amitabh Choudhary. Shah said in his letter to Mr. Chhoudhar, “During the IPL matches I met Heath Streak and he has shown interest to work at the NCA as a fast bowling coach. He is a high-profile cricketer and can be very useful to the NCA as a fast bowling coach we are looking for”.

When Heath Streak was appointed as the bowling coach of the Tigers, they were travelling through troubled waters. Bangladesh were heavily affected by off the field controversies and strings of humiliating defeats dented the morale of the team.

It was an ugly lean patch which was hurting the fans and the Bangladesh cricket fraternity. During this critical period, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) appointed Chandika Hathurusingha as the head coach and Heath Streak as the bowling coach. With the passage of time, these two appointments proved to be an absolute masterstroke for the Tigers.

Coaching combination works wonders

The Chandika and Streak combination along with Mashrafe Bin Mortaza changed the face of Bangladesh cricket. Gradually, Bangladesh transformed into a fighting unit and their fearless brand of cricket became a treat all over the world. England, India, Pakistan and South Africa tested the new newly found mojo of the Tigers last year and the days of humiliation and agony ebbed away.

While Chandika polished the technique and temperament of the players, Streak brought a revolution in Bangladesh’s bowling department. Bangladesh were famous for their left-arm spin attack.

After a short burst from the pacers, Bangladesh loved to introduce the spinners as early as possible. In those days, the future of the fast bowlers in Bangladesh looked bleak and hardly anyone wished to become a pace bowler. But as soon as Streak became the bowling coach, the scenario started to change.

He worked tirelessly with Rubel Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Mashrafe Mortaza and Al-Amin Hossain to galvanize them into speed merchants and wicket takers rather than staying in the team only to maintain the formality.

To Streak’s credit, Bangladesh unearthed the modern day sensation Mustafizur Rahman which only helped Bangladesh taste sweet moments.

Pace attack has been brilliant for the Tigers

These days Bangladesh doesn’t bother to cement a four-man pace attack even on home soil and the Bangladeshi pacers dazzle the 22-yard with their guile, pace and supreme craft to leave the opposition batting line-up baffled.

The Tigers don’t mind excluding spinners in the team but they don’t wish to leave a pacer for the sake of a spinner. These days the Bangladeshi youngsters wish to become a Taskin, Rubel or Mustafiz. This is a renaissance which was much needed in Bangladesh and Streak deserves a lot of credit for this.

Streak was contracted by Bangladesh to work for 450 days over two years, which runs out in June 2016. As the time of his contract is coming to an end, it is obvious that he will look for a better opportunity. But the BCB should think about prolonging Streak’s contract.

Over the years, Streak has developed a healthy relationship with the Bangladeshi cricketers and he is well aware of how to manage this team. He is the goose that lays golden eggs and the BCB must not let him go. There might be options to replace Streak, but at the moment, he is still the best option for Bangladesh.