Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusinghe will miss the second and final Test against Sri Lanka, starting in Chattogram on Saturday, due to personal reasons. Assistant coach Nic Pothas will take charge in his absence.
Hathurusinghe’s departure comes after Bangladesh’s heavy 328-run defeat in the first Test in Sylhet. The team had previously won the ODI series but lost the T20I series to Sri Lanka by identical 2-1 margins.
Shakib Al Hasan, who has been out of action since April 2023 due to an eye condition, has been recalled to the Test squad as a replacement for Towhid Hridoy. Hasan Mahmud has also been included in the squad in place of the injured Musfik Hasan, who has a left ankle injury.
Hathurusinghe, who is in his second stint as Bangladesh head coach, has been in charge since February 2023. He previously coached Sri Lanka and served as batting coach for New South Wales in Australia.
Pothas, who joined Bangladesh in April 2023, has previously worked as interim head coach for West Indies and Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh will be hoping to bounce back from their first Test defeat and level the series in Chattogram. The match will be crucial for both teams, as it could determine the outcome of the series.
