Former Bangladesh women's cricket team head coach Sarowar Imran has launched a pointed critique of the squad's fitness levels and training culture, asserting that his push for greater discipline — not poor temperament — was the real reason behind his exit from the role. His remarks, made in an interview with Ekattur TV, offer a rare inside look at the dysfunction he says plagued the programme.

How the coaching relationship ended

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) allowed Sarowar's contract to lapse in October, following the Asian Games, and subsequently named David Hemp as his successor. According to reports from Cricbuzz, the board had reservations about Sarowar's temperament, and several senior players had reportedly approached the BCB with complaints about his conduct and methods.

Sarowar had earlier commented on dressing-room unrest following Bangladesh's Asian Games exit, which prompted the BCB to consider issuing him a show-cause notice — a move that was ultimately dropped, reportedly in recognition of his long association with Bangladesh cricket.

The former coach, however, contended that the board never sought his side of the story. 'BCB did not communicate with me after the Asian Games and Asia Cup. I got a letter that I am not going to the Australia tour as another coach will go. This is all the communication I had with BCB,' he said.

Comfort zone culture and player compliance

Sarowar reserved his sharpest criticism for what he described as an overly accommodating coaching environment that he believes has stunted the team's development. 'As far as my ill temper is concerned when I entered the women's team, what I saw was that there from bowling coach to spin bowling coach, batting coach, trainer, physio all were very quiet. They listen to whatever the women cricketers say and they cannot improve living in this comfort zone. That is the reason our team is still the same as it was five years back,' he said.

He recounted specific incidents that he felt illustrated the problem. 'A spinner after bowling 30 deliveries tells the coach that she won't bowl any more and the coach agrees. One or two batters bat for the whole day and after seeing all these I started interfering,' he said. He added: 'I also interfered regarding their fitness. When I needed to scold them I did that and if you say this is ill temper in that case I don't feel Bangladesh cricket can improve.'

Fitness levels fall short of international standards

Fitness emerged as a central grievance. Sarowar alleged that a majority of the first-choice players were below international fitness benchmarks. 'I am telling you more than half of the first XI cricketers do not have the required fitness level. Most of them are below average (in fitness) while some of them are medium while a couple have standard fitness level,' he said.

'Fitness is a big issue and when the fitness test is conducted the trainer can say how many of them match international fitness level. They don't have that (fitness level). If I feel that I will be world champion only by bowling 30 balls, that will never happen,' he added. The allegations, if accurate, would raise serious questions about the BCB's physical preparation protocols ahead of upcoming international assignments.

On temperament and the coach-player relationship

Sarowar firmly rejected the characterisation of himself as short-tempered, drawing a distinction between personal and professional conduct. 'I have my own dignity and I am aware of what I am capable of and I don't work to show off. If anyone says that I am ill-tempered that is wrong because in life I can have temper but when I am coaching I am not ill-tempered because I am a professional and I know what needs to be done. A coach cannot be a friend of a player because if I am a friend of a player I cannot drop the player. I am a coach and I am not their friend,' he said.

He also suggested that foreign coaches who preceded him may have fallen into the same pattern of compliance. 'I think whoever worked with them adjusted with them but the women cricketers won't improve if they are in the comfort zone and I felt foreign coaches also did the same. I feel a coach ensures his job by doing this (adjusting and remaining silent).'

Squad unity and captain's standing

When pressed on reports of internal divisions, Sarowar stopped short of confirming the existence of factions but acknowledged uneven relationships within the squad. 'I cannot say about grouping but some were close to the captain while some others were not close to the captain,' he said, in an apparent reference to Bangladesh women's team captain Nigar Sultana.

With David Hemp now installed as the new head coach, how the BCB responds to Sarowar's public allegations — and whether it commissions an independent review of the fitness and training culture — will be closely watched by those invested in the growth of women's cricket in Bangladesh.