Mushfiq and Mahmudullah under scanner, time to think beyond them?

The same story keeps repeating itself. Bangladesh's batting struggles did not change against New Zealand, just as they did not against India. Amid adversity, Jaker Ali and Towhid Hridoy had stood firm against India. Against New Zealand, Jaker played the same role, but this time, it was captain Najmul Hossain Shanto who stepped into Hridoy's shoes. The rest, instead of settling in, gave away their wickets with reckless abandon.

Even the commentators voiced their frustration—what exactly is Bangladesh trying to do? Rawalpindi's pitch is known as a batting paradise, a place where runs can be scored with ease. Suggesting that one could score here with their eyes closed might not be an exaggeration. Yet, Bangladesh's batting performance was the complete opposite. With one poor shot after another, the batters made life easier for their opponents. It was as if the team had entered a contest of self-destruction, defying every batting principle the commentators suggested.

Two players stood out in their failures more than the rest—Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah Riyad, the two most experienced batters in the side. Their inclusion in the playing XI meant they were supposed to be the backbone of the batting line-up, but both failed miserably in the most glaring fashion. With the experience they carry, the team had every right to expect much more from them.

Following Bangladesh's early exit from the Champions Trophy after losing both matches, discussions have intensified regarding the present and future of the team. Mushfiqur's first-ball dismissal against India and both senior players throwing away their wickets against New Zealand have fuelled heated debates.

Mushfiqur Rahim's struggles have been evident since the Bangladesh Premier League. It has been almost two decades since he made his international debut and 19 years since he started playing ODIs. His poor run with the bat was apparent in the BPL, where he managed only 184 runs in 14 matches. That slump carried over into the Champions Trophy, where he was dismissed for 0 and 2 in the two games.

Mahmudullah carries similar experience, having played ODIs for 18 years. He too failed, departing for just 4 runs. Their poor returns have inevitably raised questions about their place in the team. Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik has openly questioned why they are still playing. He expressed his surprise that the two did not retire after the 2023 ODI World Cup, stating, "I thought Mushfiq & Mahmudullah both were going to retire after the 23 World Cup but that didn't happen and I was very shocked."

Karthik further criticised Bangladesh's selection approach, saying, "If you keep saying you don't have replacements and let the guys who've failed continuously, that's heart-breaking for the junior players as well."

It is not just Karthik raising these concerns. Another former Indian cricketer, Wasim Jaffer, also questioned the duo's performances and continued presence in the team. Speaking on ESPNcricinfo's Match Day, he said: "We've only probably seen Shakib with that 2019 World Cup where he was a standout player. But I don't know if it's the pressure that gets to them or they put too much pressure on themselves, they just don't turn up."

Mahmudullah has a history of performing well in ICC events, having scored back-to-back centuries in the 2015 ODI World Cup and a hundred against New Zealand in the 2017 Champions Trophy. However, here he missed the first match due to injury and then threw away his wicket in the second. Jaffer was blunt in his assessment, "Even the shot selection we've seen today was very disappointing. Mushfiq played that shot, Mahmudullah played that wild shot. And this is a must-win game. You want them to step up in these kinds of games and make themselves count. So that's been the story in the ICC events, unfortunately."

When a cricketer will retire from international cricket is entirely a personal matter. It is also possible that a cricketer may never formally announce their retirement. It is not mandatory to explicitly declare, "I will no longer play from tomorrow." However, great cricketers usually prefer a grand farewell. They aspire to conclude their careers by departing from the field, bringing a sense of completeness to their journey.

Bangladesh will play their final match in the Champions Trophy against Pakistan tomorrow. However, judging by Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah's approach so far, it does not seem like this will be their last international match.

So, do Mushfiqur and Mahmudullah intend to continue playing international cricket even after the Champions Trophy? They very well might. It is entirely their decision when to draw the curtain on their careers. The question is, at that point, will the BCB also want to consider building the team with them in mind for the future?

Bangladesh's next ICC event is the 2026 T20 World Cup. Mushfiqur Rahim retired from T20Is in 2022, so his involvement is out of the question. Mahmudullah bid farewell to Test cricket in 2021, but still playing in the white ball cricket. Although he performed brilliantly in the last ODI series against the West Indies, discussions about making way for younger players also brought up the topic of his retirement plans. Meanwhile, Mushfiqur's form has been on the decline. 

However, cricketers of their stature should not be judged based on a single match or tournament. The BCB must acknowledge this while also recognising that these two seasoned players of the Bangladesh team should be given a dignified farewell from international cricket.

Keeping every possibility open, one thing is for sure,  when it comes to the 2027 ODI World Cup, there should no longer be any doubt—Bangladesh must start planning without these two and begin preparing their replacements immediately.