Towhid Hridoy‘s form has come under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks as the young batter has struggled to live up to the expectations that followed his breakthrough performance. Since his fine hundred against India in the Champions Trophy, the right-hander Towhid Hridoy has featured in one ODI and six T20Is over the past four months.
But rather than building on that milestone, he appears to be grappling with form and clarity.Towhid Hridoy finds himself stuck between doing well and failing badly. The young Bangladesh batter Towhid Hridoy scored a big century against India once. Now everyone expects him to repeat that magic every single time.
Towhid Hridoy’s Journey From Hero to Zero
Towhid Hridoy earned high praise for that knock against India – an innings that showcased resilience and character. Battling cramps for the last 20 minutes, he still managed to push Bangladesh to a respectable total, although it wasn’t enough to trouble the Indian side. Towhid Hridoy smashed a brilliant hundred against India in the Champions Trophy. Cricket fans in Bangladesh celebrated his amazing batting performance that day. The media called him the next big star of cricket.
Since then, though, the numbers have been underwhelming. He scored just 7 in Bangladesh’s next CT fixture against New Zealand, the only ODI he’s played since that ton. In the T20I series against UAE, where Bangladesh lost 2-1, Hridoy made scores of 20, 45, and 0. He followed that with 17, 5, and 25 against Pakistan in the next series.
These performances came on the heels of a troubling domestic episode, where Towhid Hridoy was handed a four-match ban for misbehaving with umpires during the Dhaka Premier League. It’s an incident many believe left a mark on him mentally.
Towhid Hridoy struggles in his career and suggestion for him to come back on track
Towhid Hridoy got banned for four matches because of bad behavior. This happened during the Dhaka Premier League last year recently. The punishment hurt his confidence and mental strength badly. His batting style changed completely from attacking to very defensive. Towhid Hridoy now tries to stay at the wicket longer. This approach does not suit his natural aggressive batting style.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) informed that Towhid Hridoy is banned for four matches with immediate effect from the ongoing Bashundhara Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2024-25. The board has also been fined an amount of Taka 10,000 (roughly seven thousand Indian Rupees) for the Code of Conduct breach while leading the Mohammedan Sporting Club during a game against Gazi Group Cricketers.
The game held at the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday, April 26, witnessed Hridoy show dissent towards one of the decisions made by the on-field umpire. As a result, on-field officials Moniruzzaman Tinku and Ali Arman Rajon, third umpire Muhammad Kamruzzaman, and fourth official ATM Ikram charged the cricketer for the breach.
This punishment came into effect after the batter was found guilty of breaching the BCB code of conduct for players and player support personnel during the match against Gazi Group Cricketers at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) on 26 April 2025. Moreover, he was banned from one game earlier but denied accepting the punishment and voiced out against it. He was charged for disagreeing with the umpire’s decision during the match. He stood there on the crease, refusing to leave after getting dismissed.
All of this has transpired in a matter of weeks, just after he shot into the spotlight with that century against India. Expectations soared, and so did the scrutiny. Once known for his free-flowing, aggressive style, Towhid Hridoy has been attempting to re-calibrate his game – an ongoing process that may be affecting his natural rhythm.
It’s still early to sound alarm bells, given the small sample size. But Sohel Islam, his mentor and head of the Bangladesh Tigers programme, believes Towhid Hridoy must adapt quickly to avoid further dip in form. Sohel Islam who coaches Towhid Hridoy and has known him well since childhood. Islam says Towhid Hridoy feels too much pressure from team management. Everyone wants him to become the team leader immediately.
“I think the pressure of expectation is too much for him at this moment. Hridoy is one of the leaders of our batting line. Being one of the leaders, many are seen not being able to carry the pressure of expectation,” Sohel said.
The young batsman needs to forget about outside pressure completely. He should focus on playing his natural game again. Towhid Hridoy played his best cricket when he felt free. Bangladesh cricket team depends too much on experienced players currently. Young stars like Towhid Hridoy must step up and take responsibility. The team needs fresh talent to compete against strong teams.
Sohel Islam also pointed out that mental toughness and game awareness remain key areas of improvement for Towhid Hridoy and other young batters in the format.
“I think mental toughness is an issue. Suppose, you need 60 from 30 balls. In this case, you know that your duty is to go to the crease and hit. Skill of the batters is the key here. If you want to hit 80 out of 100 balls, you would need the skill. I think we have to improve skills.”
Mental toughness becomes very important for young cricketers like Towhid Hridoy. He should work with sports psychologists to handle pressure better. Strong minds help players perform well in tough situations. Towhid Hridoy must remember why he started playing cricket originally. The love for the game should drive him forward. Success will come back if he stays patient and works.
With the Test series against Sri Lanka now concluded, Bangladesh’s focus shifts to white-ball cricket. For Hridoy, it’s a crucial phase to re-calibrate and re-frame his role, without being shackled by expectations. Bangladesh, eager to strengthen their white-ball core, will hope he can express himself more freely and rediscover the instincts that once made him one of their most exciting prospects.
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