BCB in talks with Chandika Hathurusingha

BCB president Nazmul Hassan has said the board is in talks with former Sri Lanka batsman Chandika Hathurusingha for the role of Bangladesh head coach. Hathurusingha, the New South Wales assistant coach, is one of two candidates for the job and a decision will be made next week.

Bangladesh's next series is against India at home in June and the BCB is looking to appoint a full-time coach before the three ODIs. If that is not possible, the board will appoint a local coach in the interim and the full-time coach will begin his term in July.

"We are in talks with a few coaches and Hathurusingha is one of them," Hassan told the media. "There is someone else as well, but we haven't finalised anyone yet. I have received some information today. Both are ready to join us, but there are some issues with payment, terms and conditions and clearance.

"We would like a coach to join immediately. If one of those with whom we are talking to is prepared to come early, we will choose him. Otherwise, we will employ a local coach for the India series. We are hoping to take a final decision by Monday."

Hathurusingha is a frontrunner for the position, after several positive reviews the BCB directors have taken into account. He is reputed to be a well-rounded coach, knowledgeable about technique and tactically astute - qualities that allowed him to make good use of limited talent as a player.

In a letter about Hathurusingha to Sri Lanka Cricket in 2010, Kumar Sangakkara had lauded the coach's "no nonsense" approach and his "even and fair" treatment of players. Sangakkara also said that during Hathurusingha's time as Sri Lanka's shadow coach, he had, "out-worked, out-thought and out-shone the foreign coaching staff within the system". At the moment, Hathurusingha holds a coaching position with New South Wales, and was put in charge of Sydney Thunder.

ESPNcricinfo understands that within the BCB's special committee to search for coaches, Hathurusingha is being viewed as a long-term option. His background as a Test batsman, his work with Sri Lanka and New South Wales and the overall feeling that while he isn't exactly high-profile, his coaching has earned him plaudits, is exactly what the BCB is looking for. Hathurusingha, however, had recently expressed interest in coaching Sri Lanka, though SLC has not made an approach yet.

Hassan also said two specialist coaches will be employed on a part-time basis before the 2015 World Cup, but he ruled out any local coaches taking over the Bangladesh team. "A local coach has little chance to become the head coach of the Bangladesh team but they could be taken in positions in the High Performance Academy and as assistant coaches.

"We have talked to two specialist coaches, so we will employ three local coaches with each one of them. These specialist coaches will come to Bangladesh before the World Cup thrice."