The Bangladesh Cricket Board has decided to implement split coaching in the national set-up. The current head coach, Russell Domingo, will continue to be in charge of the Test and ODI sides, while Sridharan Sriram, who was recently appointed to the position of technical director, will be responsible for the T20I planning.
Earlier, Cricbuzz had reported that the BCB is preparing to adopt split coaching, and on Monday, the BCB chief Nazmul Hassan made the announcement official after sitting with the members of the coaching panel at the board headquarters (August 22).
“The Twenty20 Internationals that are part of the Asia Cup do not have a head coach. We have a coach for batting, a coach for fielding, a coach for spin bowling, and a coach for pace bowling, in addition to having a captain. In addition to that, we have a technical consultant who will lay out the game plan for you. And in that scenario, what action will be taken by the head coach? This means that he does not have any jobs, “On Monday, Nazmul gave an interview to the press at Mirpur.
“Domingo has remained our head coach up until this point, and he was a candidate for participation in the Twenty20 Internationals (Asia Cup)… In the presence of a head coach, a person who has been requested to do the game plan cannot do it freely because the head coach will also have his own perspective. Because of this, he will not be travelling with the Twenty20 team because we don’t want to introduce any ambiguity into the situation. And this configuration will remain in place until after the World Cup. We are going to split it up and see what the results are “he added.
“The expiration date of his (Domingo’s) contract is November 2023. Domingo is not going to be a part of the Twenty20 setup [from this point on]. In the Tests and ODIs, Russell Domingo will be in charge, but not in the T20 Internationals. We sat down with Domingo and inquired about his plans for the One-Day International and Test sides. Within the next three weeks, he will present an in-depth planning.
“He is interested in watching the National Cricket League (NCL), which is a traditional first-class tournament, as well as “A.” “team sports with the goal of identifying potential future stars. We want to figure out how we can develop cricketers outside of the national team, and in order to do so, the support staff will need to be split apart.
Given that modern split coaching practises recommend having distinct coaches for white-ball and red-ball cricket, the decision to have Domingo responsible for both test matches and one-day internationals came as something of a shock.
“We can even have separate captains for red-ball cricket and white-ball cricket. However, in order to do that, we need separate teams. In order to do that, we need separate coaching staff. However, until we get separate teams, we are not prepared for it (a different coaching set-up for red-ball and white-ball cricket).”
Domingo shared the sentiments of the board and stated that divided coaching is the way to go moving forward because of the large number of international cricket that is played across the world.
Domingo, who was standing next to Nazmul as the latter announced the beginning of a new era of split coaching in Bangladesh cricket, stated, “It’s difficult to say but may be it is the path going forward.”
“I think that it is a fantastic proposition. It allows me to concentrate really well on the test match and the 50-overs things. In Twenty20 matches, we have had both excellent and disappointing outcomes. In twenty20 matches, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to try something new for your strategy. Regarding this topic, I have an open mind. It is not a member of my squad. It has nothing to do with me. I wholeheartedly support efforts to improve the team. It provides me with a lot of clarity just in time for the 50-over World Cup.
We are aware that there is a significant amount of effort involved with the Test team. In addition to that, it frees up some time for me to spend with my family. I spent five weeks at home in the previous year. My time spent with my family is really precious to me. It is quite challenging to keep up with. to enter tournaments in a positive frame of mind and with a fresh mindset.” Domingo took note of it.
Despite this, Domingo stated that he disagrees with team director Khaled Mahmud’s assessment that his coaching method is not suited to Twenty20 cricket. “Everyone is entitled to their own views. I am very versed in my philosophy. I am familiar with my approach to coaching. To be honest, I don’t really have anything to say about it.”
Domingo, who will be travelling to South Africa on Tuesday, mentioned that he was in need of some time off.
“Absolutely (need a break). My time spent in South Africa showed me that maintaining one’s mental freshness is an important factor for both the players and the coaching staff. It was something that had never been taken into consideration at this location before. These players play a significant amount of cricket, even more so than when I was South Africa’s head coach. Mental tiredness might cause decline in performances. Because of this, we need a larger pool of players to choose from when it comes time to give some of our players a break.
“Cricket and travelling have taken up a lot of my time. The following year will see an increased number of games. Along with rehearsal and preparation, there is also a significant amount of travel involved in the process.
“The A tour in Dubai is going to be my next stop. There will be a significant number of our Test players competing there. Because Tamim, Mominul, Shanto, and Rabbi have been out of action for some time, this will be an excellent opportunity for them to play. Beginning in the middle of November, I plan to spend time watching NCL. Those are components of the plan that I have.”
Domingo also mentioned that he will devise fresh ideas in light of the fact that the BCB intends to involve the existing batting coach Jamie Siddons in the development initiative.
“There is still some time left before the upcoming one-day internationals and test matches. I have a feeling that the deck is going to be reshuffled. Jamie is discussing the possibility of getting part in the development of the project. It affords me some time to reflect on the direction that the coaching staff will take going forward. I have some thoughts on the kind of batting coach I would like to have. Jamie is able to fill in for him in the event that she is unavailable. In the coming weeks and months, there are a number of things that require my attention and consideration. In the 50-over World Cup, I honestly believe that Bangladesh has an excellent potential of doing well. The team is currently performing really well. We have a strong collection of players here “In conclusion, he said.
