Mickey Arthur will run Rangpur Riders’ Global Super League (GSL) campaign next month without setting foot in Guyana. The head coach, tied to his day-job with Derbyshire in the County Championship, plans to manage the champions from 7,500km away, a move confirmed by team director Shanian Taneem earlier this week.
Key facts first: the GSL’s second edition begins on 10 July; Rangpur return as holders; and Arthur’s remote role means Greg Smith – a long-time ally – steps in as on-site head coach. “As the English County Championship is ongoing and Mickey is coaching Derbyshire County Cricket Club, he is unavailable at the moment,” Shanian said at the jersey launch in Dhaka. “Therefore, we are appointing Greg Smith as our head coach. He is someone Mickey fully trusts. Mickey will stay connected with the players and continue to offer his input. Greg will lead the team under Mickey’s guidance.”
Arthur masterminded last year’s title run and still shapes selection. “Mickey Arthur was our head coach during the previous Global Super League and the last edition of the Bangladesh Premier League. We have strong confidence in his abilities. While forming our squad, we remained in constant touch with him and discussed which players would perform well on Guyana’s pitches,” Shanian added.
Nurul Hasan continues as captain, a role he has held since 2023. Core locals Soumya Sarkar, Saif Hassan, Kamrul Islam Rabbi and Harmeet Singh remain, while the overseas group features West Indies batter Kyle Mayers, South Africa wrist-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi, Pakistan all-rounder Iftikhar Ahmed and Afghanistan opener Ibrahim Zadran. On paper the balance looks familiar: a local spine, pace depth and a sprinkling of power hitting plus spin variety. Whether the remote set-up hinders in-game adjustments is the obvious question, yet Rangpur insiders point to stable leadership and the increased use of data feeds to keep Arthur in the loop.
One conspicuous absentee is Shakib Al Hasan. Despite the all-rounder’s proven record in Caribbean conditions, the franchise opted out of selecting him amid ongoing political uncertainty. “Shakib Al Hasan is still one of the most valuable players not only in Bangladesh but in any franchise league of the world,” Shanian explained. “It is not that we did not want him in the squad, but we know the situation of the country at this moment. Shakib still can feature in the starting eleven of any franchise team. But keeping the current situation in mind, we were not able to take him in the squad.” Shakib, no longer an MP after last year’s election, has been based in the USA and has not visited Bangladesh since the government change.
Remote coaching is not entirely new – several T20 sides have experimented with it during overlapping calendars – but it still relies on crisp communication. Rangpur say Arthur will hold regular video briefings, review training footage and relay match-ups in real time. Players are accustomed to his style; Smith’s task is to translate that vision on the ground, handle substitutions and maintain the dressing-room pulse.
Rangpur open their defence against home side Guyana Amazon Warriors under lights on 10 July. Dubai Capitals, Central Stags and Hobart Hurricanes complete a five-team schedule that squeezes 18 matches into three weeks. The format rewards momentum, and Rangpur believe continuity – even at long distance – gives them a head start. As one team analyst put it, off-record, “The routines are the same, the voice is the same; only the postcode changes.”
Rangpur Riders squad: Nurul Hasan (capt), Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Naim, Mahidul Islam, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Mohammad Saif, Abu Hider, Rakilbul Hasan, Yasir Ali, Kyle Mayers, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ibrahim Zadran, Akif Javed, Iftikhar Ahmed, Harmeet Singh, Khawaja Nafay.
