Bangladesh cricket team [Source: AFP]Former Bangladesh spinner Abdur Razzak is set to take the helm as the spin bowling coach of the Bangladesh Cricket Board's High Performance unit. Razzak has been appointed on a one-year contract, as confirmed by a BCB official. This appointment also marks a new chapter in Razzak's career as he moves into coaching from administration. Abdur Razzak served as a national selector for several years, overseeing player selection for the national team, Bangladesh A, as well as emerging squads. However, this new appointment announces a new phase in his career, which was earlier marred by an illegal bowling action blemish. The Illegal Bowling Action Drama With Abdur Razzak Back in 2004 While the left-arm spinner has been appointed as the spin bowling coach, a dark chapter of his career dates back to 2004, when he was reported by match umpires during the team's Asia Cup clash against Pakistan at the SSC Ground in Colombo. In the match, Razzak bowled his full quota of 10 overs with figures of 2 for 36. However, the three match umpires present there, alongside the match referee, reported his bowling action to the ICC and the BCB management. He was reported for a suspected illegal bowling action, which was not permitted under ICC and MCC laws at the time. Razzak, then 22 years old, was under constant supervision under the eye of a specialist advisor and also from the ICC panel, who regularly reviewed his bowling action. Also Read- Scotland Announce Strong T20 World Cup Squad Under Old CaptainRazzak’s International Career For Bangladesh However, it was not the end of Razzak's career. He continued to play before leaving the game in 2018, playing his last Test match against Sri Lanka in Mirpur. His last ODI and T20I matches came back in August 2014, when the Bengal Tigers toured the West Indies with the spin veteran. Nevertheless, in his career, Abdur Razzak scalped 207 ODI wickets and 44 T20I wickets for the Bengal Tigers, as the veteran now joins the team as an apex mentor of the group. Razzak Aims To Shape Squad Ahead Of World Cup Bangladesh now boasts talents like Tanvir Islam, Saif Hassan, Rishad Hossain, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz among their white-ball spinners, with Nasum Ahmed also being one of the crucial contributors. Under Razzak's coaching, the bowlers are set to evolve ahead of the all-important 2027 World Cup. The massive chunk of wickets taken by spinners for Bangladesh across formats has come from Rishad Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, and Taijul Islam, who, over the last two years, have together taken a total of 226 wickets across white-ball and red-ball cricket. Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, and Tanvir Islam are among the other top contributors with the ball, helping strengthen the spin-bowling unit of the Bengal Tigers. Bangladesh’s Spin-Bowling Unit Doing Wonders With The Ball This year, in 2026, the team’s top bowler across formats has been Nahid Rana, who has taken 17 wickets from seven matches. Meanwhile, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, the all-rounder and spin-bowling leader of Bangladesh, is the second-highest wicket-taker for the team with 13 wickets under his belt, while continuing to bowl with best figures of 5 for 102. As the Bengal Tigers are currently playing the Pakistan Test series, their next focus under Abdur Razzak's mentorship will be the Australia tour, which will see the multi-format series starting from June 9, with the last Test being played at Mackay on August 22. The white-ball series will only serve as the build-up as Razzak aims to shape Bangladesh's spin bowling unit ahead of the 2027 World Cup.Also Read- Babar Azam Poised To Return To Popular T20 League After 9 Years
