‘No room for satisfaction’

Bangladesh cricket’s senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin has a simple but unyielding philosophy: in international cricket, there is no room for satisfaction. Every day presents new challenges, and the margin for complacency is nonexistent.
After recent series wins against Sri Lanka, Pakistan and now a comfortable win against the Netherlands in the first T20I, there could be talks of a settled or satisfied team after a long while. But Salahuddin disagrees.

“Look, in our profession, there’s really no room for being satisfied. We can never be fully satisfied because you have to improve every single day. International cricket is very tough. Every moment brings new challenges — whether in how you play, how you think, or the situations you face. So there’s nothing here to feel satisfied about,” Salahuddin said during the pre-match press conference on Sunday.
He emphasised that development is what ultimately matters, not the number of coaches or support staff in the dressing room.  “At the end of the day, what matters is how the players develop into better cricketers. Even if we fill the dressing room with coaching staff, it doesn’t guarantee results. What truly matters is how the players perform, how they improve, and how they think. And I see a lot of change in that area. In the future, Insha’Allah, there will be even more.”

Salahuddin highlighted the growing self-awareness among Bangladesh’s players. Many have invested personally in nutritionists and fitness regimes, reflecting a culture of responsibility and professionalism. 

“Everyone wants, at the end of the day, for the Bangladesh team to do well. It’s not just the coaching staff who are helpful; the players have to contribute, the board has to support, and when everyone together adopts the right mentality, the team will automatically improve,” he noted.
The extended preparation period ahead of the current series has been a rare luxury, allowing the coaching staff to focus on holistic development.  “Since we had a longer preparation period this time, it gave us a proper opportunity to focus on all aspects — fitness, fielding, batting. Normally, during international matches, there isn’t much of a gap, so players don’t really get the chance to develop their personal skills. This time, we had that opportunity, which is a positive for us,” Salahuddin explained.

He stressed that this improvement is continuous and not tied to a single series or tournament. “The team’s improvement never stops; it’s a continuous process. We are trying to do everything necessary to become a strong team.”Salahuddin also praised individual mental resilience, citing Saif Hassan’s revival as a case study. “I’ve asked you guys before, don’t elevate someone too quickly, and don’t drop them too quickly either. When a player performs well and makes a comeback, it shows a strong mentality.

He (Saif) had the tag of being primarily a Test player and was thought perhaps not suited for white-ball cricket, but he overcame that and demonstrated his character — not everyone can do that,” he said.He emphasised that success in international cricket is never guaranteed and requires consistency. “International cricket is tough; failing in the first six or seven matches is normal, and mentally bouncing back from that is difficult. The fact that he managed it shows his character. He made a personal effort to improve, which is why he is developing well. I hope he can continue to show the character he displayed in yesterday’s match because this is very tough cricket. Success isn’t guaranteed — it depends on how consistently you maintain it over time.”