Strengths: Not a star player
When Mehdi Hasan Miraz broke into the national team from the under-19 level, expectations were high from the all-rounder.
The first expectation was that he would develop into the next Shakib Al Hasan for Bangladesh. Secondly, he will become the captain of Bangladesh team.
Miraj is a natural captain, having led Bangladesh to the semi-finals of the Under-19 World Cup in 2016 at home.
So far in his international career, Miraz has fallen short of first expectation as he has become an off-spinner rather than a complete all-rounder like Shakib who can bat a bit.
But his infectious energy on the field, his attitude during matches and his fighting mentality during difficult situations on the field are all there to see.
Furthermore, although Miraz is an important member of the ODI team, he is not considered a ‘star’ player. Many teams in the past have benefited from captaining a player who was not the biggest player in the team, such as Graeme Smith in South Africa, Steven Fleming in New Zealand. If Miraj, the most unpredictable of the three candidates, gets the job, he will have a chance to add to that list and fulfill the long-standing expectation of many.
