Bangladesh's newly appointed head coach Phil Simmons said on Saturday that he is eyeing to make his charges focus on cricket leaving behind all the noise as they prepare to take on South Africa in the two-match Test series, scheduled at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Mirpur on Monday.
Simmons is well aware of all the noises going around in and around the stadium as well as in the media for the last couple of days after Shakib Al Hasan failed to play his last Test in Bangladesh due to security reasons despite wishing it while announcing his retirement.
The axing of former head coach Chandika Hathurusingha, whom he is replacing for the next six months to guide the team until the Champions Trophy 2025, also seemed to have raised quite a few eyebrows more so after the former Sri Lankan insisted that allegation against him put up by the board was ‘premeditated’.
“That’s the big part of our job over the next few days, to make sure the focus is on the cricket, and not on the outside of cricket. We can control how we prepare for Monday, that’s how we are trying to get the team to focus,” Simmons told reporters on his first official press conference at the SBNS on Saturday.
“The good thing is we have a very important Test match to prepare for. We win the next few Tests, and we are in contention for the (WTC) final. My first port of call is cricket, and about getting the squad ready for Monday. The last two days (of training) have been brilliant. We have to try to leave out the confusion that’s around the cricket, and concentrate on preparing for Monday,” he said.
Simmons, who will be the second West Indian to act as head coach of Bangladesh after Gordon Greenidge, said that his stint with different countries like Ireland and Afghanistan will help him guide the team forward.
“All these experiences will help me in the next few days to get me ready for Monday. Afghanistan helped me with the language barrier sometimes. Ireland helped me with developing young players. It all comes in at the end of the day. I have to use all those experiences in this assignment,” said Simmons.
“My philosophy is to work hard in your preparation and results will come in the match. What I have seen in the last couple of days, these guys work really hard on their game, skills and fitness. I am pretty happy over the last couple of days,” he said.
Simmons, who was interviewed earlier by BCB in 2018 but could not get the job, added that it was not a very difficult decision for him to take up the role when offered by the board considering he is excited seeing the quality of the players.
“The interest comes from seeing the quality of the young players. They handled themselves well against Pakistan. They didn’t do well in the T20Is against India but they played against the best T20 team in the world, so you have things to take out of there. It is all added up to an assignment, which I enjoyed. One young players to develop. Two, there are Tests and ODIs involved. It wasn’t a hard decision,” said Simmons.
“All international coaching jobs are hot seats. Bangladesh is different. Pakistan is different. For me, it is a case of getting the players to play and enjoy everything and win matches. The seat is not hot. The last two days have been really good,” he said.
Simmons added that they are eyeing to give a tough time to the Proteas, who could not win a Test series in the sub-continent in the last 10 years.
“It is definitely a good opportunity. Bangladesh are usually very strong at home. So, it is a very good opportunity for us to win the Test series. South Africa has that (record of not winning in the sub-continent in the last ten years) hanging over their head but they are a resilient team. They will work hard to change that,” he said adding that he had some good chat with skipper Najmul Hossain during the last two days.
“It has been about his thoughts on players and the direction he wants to take the team. It was also about what we do before Monday. It is generally about how we go into the first Test match. As we get to know each other, there will be more discussion about ODIs, etc. Now it is about Test cricket, and what we are going to do in these two matches,” he added.
Meanwhile, the second Test of the series, which is part of the ICC Test Championship, will be played at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on October 29. BCB released the ticket prices of the first Test between on this day.
The highest price of the ticket is set at Tk 1000 while the lowest price is at Tk 100.
Grand Stand ticket will go on sale for Tk 1000, VIP Stand Tk 500, Club House Tk 300, North and South Stand Tk 200 and Eastern Stand Tk 100.
Ticket will be available for sale on today and will be found at ticket booth beside Gate No. 1 of Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
