"Always compared Mahmudullah with MS Dhoni, but Dhoni couldn't play forever, right?" - Bangladesh coach on veteran's exclusion from T20 World Cup squad

Bangladesh coach Sridharan Sriram has opened up on why former captain Mahmudullah couldn't find a place in the T20 World Cup squad. The veteran all-rounder has been an integral part of Bangladesh cricket over the past decade.

However, Sriram stated that the board and the management felt it was the right time to move on and groom youngsters who could fill Mahmudullah's void. The coach also compared the all-rounder to Indian legend MS Dhoni due to their finishing ability at No. 6.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, here's what Sriram had to say about leaving out the veteran all-rounder:

"One should always look for successors. I have always compared Mahmudullah with Dhoni going by the way he has performed. He batted at No. 6 just like Dhoni did for India. He also finished a lot of matches for Bangladesh. Dhoni couldn’t play forever, right?"

Sriram also explained that since the team wanted to build on their future, it was important for fresh faces to get exposure at the highest level of the sport:

"You have to decide on the successors of players. It’s the right time to find someone who could play the role of Mahmudullah in the team. If new players don’t play, then we won’t find any alternative."

Sridharan Sriram on the conversation with Mahmudullah

The Bangladesh coach stated that it was he who took up the tough job of having an honest conversation with the 36-year-old legend. Despite being the "bad man in the conversation," Sriram acknowledged that he had the ''utmost respect" for someone who had dished out incredible performances for his country over the years:

"It is never an easy conversation. He is the most capped T20 player in Bangladesh. I have the utmost respect for him. I have to be the bad man in the conversation."

Squad: Shakib Al Hasan (captain), Sabbir Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Afif Hossain, Mossadek Hossain, Litton Das, Yasir Ali, Nurul Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Saifuddin, Taskin Ahmed, Ebadot Hossain, Hasan Mahmud, Najmul Hossain, Nasum Ahmed.

Standby: Soumya Sarkar, Shoriful Islam, Rishad Hossain, Shak Mahedi Hasan.