Miraz’s captaincy taking a toll on long-term vision?

Under the captaincy of Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Bangladesh's success rate stands at just 23 percent -- three wins in 13 matches. Even Miraz's own performance graph has dipped, both as a batter and a bowler, since being entrusted with the ODI armband.

Beyond the bleak win percentage and his personal decline, it's Miraz's captaincy itself that has come under scrutiny for lacking a long-term vision to shape the team's future.

As a bowler, Miraz has always been considered a vital cog in Bangladesh's wicket-taking mechanism. However, that edge now seems missing, with his bowling strike rate rising to 55.7 as captain, compared to his career strike rate of 45.9.

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In fact, against Afghanistan earlier this month, his bowling average, economy rate, and strike rate were all significantly worse than those of part-time off-spinner Saif Hassan.

With the bat, Miraz has produced numbers, but those contributions have had little impact on Bangladesh's success rate. During the ODI series in the Caribbean last November-December, he averaged just over 50, thanks to two 70-plus scores. Yet the Tigers ended that series with a 3-0 whitewash.

His 60 off 87 deliveries in the first ODI against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi earlier this month came when Bangladesh were rebuilding after early wickets. But despite batting deep, he failed to provide the acceleration needed, and the Tigers suffered a convincing defeat.

In total, Miraz has struck four fifties as ODI captain -- all in losing causes. The main concern remains his slow scoring rate; his strike rate as skipper has dropped compared to his career strike rate, suggesting that the tempo he has tried to set as captain is misaligned with the demands of modern ODI cricket.

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At best, those innings have merely prevented batting collapses and padded his average, but have rarely translated into competitive team totals.

Beyond his on-field performances, Miraz has also struggled to inspire confidence as a leader with a clear long-term plan. After Bangladesh wrapped up their recent three-match ODI series 2-1 against West Indies in Mirpur on Thursday, Miraz said that planning for a World Cup "should start two to three months in advance."

Even a novice would realise that such a short preparation window could spell disaster.

A captain needs to trust his instincts, but questions remain about how the dressing room operates under his leadership. His decision-making with DRS, for instance, has been questioned several times.

"It's not fair to blame one person here. When a team is together, the coach, the captain, and everyone else are on the same page. If I take a decision, it might be wrong, but the coach supports me. And even if the coach takes a wrong decision, we all back him," Miraz said when asked about criticisms regarding Super Over decisions.

Does that mean every top-level decision is simply accepted? After the second ODI against West Indies, Soumya Sarkar revealed that it was a management call to opt for the slow, low, and dark Mirpur pitches used in the series. Miraz, meanwhile, insisted that any decision coming from the top is collectively supported. Whether that reflects healthy leadership remains debatable.

With players constantly rotating in and out of the side, struggling to find their footing, Bangladesh's ODI setup currently feels like treacherous quicksand -- hardly the foundation for long-term growth, especially ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. In terms of setting the right tone for the team, a clear vision from the skipper still appears missing.