Salahuddin Not Worried about Najmul’s Form Prior to ICC Champions Trophy

Despite a difficult campaign in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2025, Bangladesh assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin is not worried about the national skipper Najmul Hossain losing confidence before the team’s participation in the ICC Champions Trophy.

In Fortune Barishal’s last league-phase encounter against Dhaka Capitals on January 29, Captain Tamim Iqbal said that it was regrettable that Najmul was not able to carve out a space in the playing XI. Tamim said it was a difficult decision but that team balance was the priority and it was difficult to slot in Najmul into the combination. “It’s not easy to get the right combination,” Tamim said, referring to a need for balance of right- and left-handed hitters in the lineup. However, he lauded Najmul’s dedication to the team and his fantastic mentality.

As the Champions Trophy looms, there are worries about Najmul’s form and confidence over the course of a tournament that will be one of the team’s most prestigious to captain. While Salahuddin is undeterred by the captain’s performance in the BPL, he said that mental aspect of the game is a little more complicated.

In an interview with Cricbuzz, Salahuddin said that although repeated failures can have a bearing on a player’s confidence, it is not exactly a reason to be letting alarms ring in panic. The BPL is a T20 league and the Champions Trophy is a 50-over format, noted he and the team would approach things differently. “If he puts in good preparation — looking at his preparation, I think he is prepared — by training he can gain back his confidence,” Salahuddin said of Najmul, adding that the latter’s role in the Champions Trophy will be different.

Salahuddin also alluded to Parvez Hossain Emon’s time with the national team in the West Indies, when he sat out several matches before being given a chance to bat and performing well in his lone opportunity. This, Salahuddin argues, demonstrates that a player’s mental toughness is often the key to their performance, and that with the right support, confidence can be restored.

The assistant coach also touched on the apprehensions surrounding veteran players Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah, whose retirements are on the horizon. This could also be the last ICC tournament for many of the current squad members making retirement plans a hot topic of discussion. But Salahuddin indicated that a career should be determined not by age but how they perform. “Athletes can sustain high-level fitness for long periods,” he said, adding that if the veterans could still play, they should be allowed to play for Bangladesh.

As he prepares for the Champions Trophy with Bangladesh, Salahuddin’s message is unambiguous: the focus should only be on mental preparation and performance, letting players decide the length of their careers depending on their performance and not their age.