Just a few months after stepping down as a selector, Hannan Sarkar is back at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB)—this time as a coach.
After nearly nine years serving as a selector, the former national opener had left his role at the BCB to pursue a career in coaching. Now, he returns to the board as the head coach of the Bangladesh Under-17 team, set to begin his new role this month. Hannan confirmed the news himself through a video message on social media.
Back in February, Hannan had completed one year as a national selector before voluntarily stepping down. At the time, he cited his desire to contribute more by working on the field rather than staying in the comfort of an air-conditioned room.
Following his resignation, the 42-year-old took charge of Abahani Limited as head coach in the Dhaka Premier League. Under his guidance, the club—one of the most successful in Dhaka’s cricket scene—went on to win the title.
Shortly after winning the league, Hannan announced his departure from Abahani and revealed he would join Legends of Rupganj for the next season. His return to BCB aligns with his ambition to build a full-time career in coaching.
“The reason I stepped down as a selector was to give my full focus to coaching and contribute more through it. I pursued that goal by coaching in the Dhaka Premier League, where I helped Abahani become champions,” he said.
“Then came the conversation about joining the cricket board again, possibly through the High Performance (HP) unit or another area. The HP unit already had coaches in place, so the board wanted to use me in age-group cricket. I also wanted to contribute to Bangladesh cricket in any capacity I could.”
A veteran of 17 Tests and 20 ODIs for Bangladesh, Hannan later transitioned into various coaching roles in domestic cricket. At the BCB, however, his contributions had been primarily as a selector in the age-level circuits.
After serving eight consecutive years as an age-group selector, Hannan was promoted to the national selection panel on March 1, 2023. A year later, he stepped down to focus on coaching.
Starting Monday, he will begin his journey in this new role with the Under-16 Challenger Series at BKSP. The three-team tournament will be used to select the final Under-17 squad. For Hannan, developing future cricketers is just the beginning—his sights are set much higher.
“For now, I’m starting with the Under-17s. There are more plans ahead. Beginning with age-group cricket, I hope, Inshallah, this path will eventually help me fulfill a bigger dream.”
While he hasn’t spoken publicly about that “bigger dream,” sources close to Hannan reveal that he hopes to rise through the coaching ranks—from Under-17 to Under-19, and eventually to a role with the national team. Taking charge of the Under-17 side is his first official step on that journey.
