'Nothing confirmed yet,' says Umar Gul regarding Bangladesh's bowling coach role

Former Pakistan fast bowler Umar Gul is in discussions with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) about a potential role as the national team’s pace bowling coach. However, Gul confirmed that no official agreement has been reached yet.

Speaking to a local sports platform on Monday (April 7), Gul said, "We are in talks, but nothing is confirmed yet." 

He further explained that the confirmation of the role depends on mutual understanding, terms, and conditions, and ultimately on the decision of the board.

The BCB is currently seeking a new pace bowling coach to replace Andre Adams, whose two-year contract is set to run until February 2026. However, a senior BCB official revealed that Adams, who is set to guide Bangladesh’s pacers in the upcoming two-match Test series against Zimbabwe, is unlikely to finish his tenure due to dissatisfaction with his performance. As a result, the BCB has begun looking for a suitable replacement.

Gul, who retired from international cricket in 2020, has built a strong coaching career. The former right-arm pacer represented Pakistan in 47 Tests, 130 ODIs, and 60 T20Is between 2003 to 2016. Since his retirement, Gul has held coaching roles with Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Afghanistan’s national team, and recently returned to Pakistan as their fast-bowling coach.

Besides Gul, other names that have emerged as potential replacements for Adams include former Australian pacer Shaun Tait, as well as former Bangladesh pace bowling coaches Allan Donald and Ottis Gibson.

In other developments, the BCB recently extended the coaching contract of Phil Simmons, ensuring his role until the 2027 ICC World Cup. The board also reappointed senior assistant coach Mohammad Salahuddin, finalizing a verbal agreement with him.

A BCB official confirmed, “The verbal agreement with Salahuddin bhai has been finalized. The formalities might be completed during the board meeting. The announcement was supposed to be made then, but due to unforeseen reasons, it got postponed.”

Salahuddin, a respected figure in Bangladesh cricket, has previously served as senior assistant coach and later took on the role of batting coach. He is now expected to play a crucial role in Bangladesh's preparations for their upcoming international assignments.