Kirsten arrives in Dhaka for internal audit of Bangladesh team

Gary Kirsten will complete an internal audit of the Bangladesh team before giving his recommendations for the appointment of a full-time head coach. The position has been vacant since the resignation of Chandika Hathurusingha in November 2017. Nizamuddin Chowdhury, BCB's chief executive, has said Kirsten's role is limited to these two duties since he has declined the BCB's offer to stay in a long-term role until the 2019 World Cup.

Kirsten, who arrived in Dhaka on Sunday evening, met Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mashrafe Mortaza on Monday morning in three separate meetings. He is scheduled to meet Bangladesh's coaching staff present in Dhaka later in the evening, and over the next 24 hours will also meet the national selectors and board directors connected to the senior side. Kirsten is also slated to meet BCB chief Nazmul Hassan.

While it might seem like too little time for such an assessment, Kirsten's appointment as an independent auditor of the senior team is a first in Bangladesh cricket. It is certainly a more professional approach than ever before. Never before in Bangladesh cricket have the players been asked for their opinion on the inner workings of the team and on potential coaching candidates.

But given how difficult it has been for the BCB to find a head coach who they believe can take the team further, it is believed to be a positive approach to take a little more time during which they conduct an objective analysis of what is required.

Chowdhury said Kirsten will first assess the Bangladesh team and, based on that, will tell the board which coach is more suitable to the team's needs. He said Kirsten's analysis was essential to the board.

"Gary Kirsten is doing an internal audit of the Bangladesh team," Chowdhury said. "He will give an assessment to the cricket board about how the team can improve looking ahead to ICC competitions like the World Cup and World T20. At the same time, he is also working with us on coach recruitment. We have shortlisted some coaches, and Kirsten also has some names. At this stage he will advise us about which areas to work on, and then he will say which available coach will be effective for us.

"The team assessment is more important to us. He is trying to sit with every player, and everyone related to the national team, for this internal audit. There's also a plan for him to speak to the selectors and relevant directors individually. He is working independently. We are providing logistical support. He is contacting the relevant persons to set up meetings."

Chowdhury said Kirsten had been working with the BCB for some time now, speaking to coaching candidates. He said Kirsten had initially agreed on a long-term relationship, but later decided only to work on a short assignment.

"Maybe his work is more visible today as he is working in Dhaka but Kirsten has been working for us for some time now," Chowdhury said. "He spoke to our current captain already. He has been in contact with the candidates that we are discussing for different coaching positions. He is also in touch with those in his list.

"He is working as our consultant in this process. We had initially planned to have him till the 2019 World Cup and he had agreed too. But later after taking account of his various commitments, he said he will work till the appointment of the coach."