Hathurusingha set to return as head coach of Bangladesh men's Test and ODI sides

Though it's not official yet, Chandika Hathurusingha looks set to return as the head coach of the Bangladesh national men's team, with Cricket New South Wales confirming that he is leaving the position of assistant coach with them. The update follows media speculation in Bangladesh that the BCB has reached an agreement with Hathurusingha.

BCB president Nazmul Hassan said on Monday that the new head coach - to replace Russell Domingo - would be appointed between February 18 and 20. Though no name has been given, ESPNcricinfo understands Hathurasingha would be brought back.

"The coach will come. I don't if it is Hathuru or someone else, neither has the BCB announced it, but you will see," Hassan said. "He will definitely be in place before the England series [starting March 1]. I won't say who it will be. He will be here by February 18-20."

At the time of his resignation last month, Domingo was the Test and ODI coach. S Sriram worked as a technical consultant last year during the T20 World Cup, and had been in talks with the BCB about continuing in that role, something the BCB has said it wants, too.

Hathurusingha was with the Bangladesh team from 2014 to 2017, with the famous ODI-winning streak at home starting under his watch. He left unceremoniously after the South Africa tour in 2017, before returning to Bangladesh with the Sri Lanka team as its head coach a few months later. The BCB has, in the past, said it wanted a coach like Hathurusingha, known to be stern and aggressive, and after his departure, both Steve Rhodes (2018 to 2019) and Domingo (2019 to 2022) were thought of as soft by the BCB.

His exit from New South Wales brings to an end his second stint with the county, as he had worked with them from 2011 to 2014 before his first engagement with Bangladesh. It continues a shake-up in the New South Wales coaching staff amid a disappointing season, where they are bottom of the Sheffield Shield and Marsh Cup tables at this stage.

"Chandi has made a wonderful contribution to Cricket NSW, the Blues and Sydney Thunder over the last couple of years and we are sad to see him go," NSW's head of male cricket Michael Klinger said. "But with that in mind, we totally understand his desire to seek a coaching role internationally and we wish him all the best in the next chapter of his coaching career."

Head coach Phil Jaques was sacked late last year, with Greg Shipperd, the Sydney Sixers coach, taking temporary charge until the end of the 2022-23 season. Hathurusingha's role will be temporarily filled by Cameron White, who is also part of the Sixers set-up.