Head coach Russell Domingo is comfortable with captain Shakib Al Hasan taking the charge in aspect of devising the strategy and plan alongside selectors for the one-off Test match against Afghanistan, slated to begin from Thursday at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chattogram.
He said as it is his first assignment, it is a case of watching to see how the team performs at the highest level.
“Like I said this is my first match in Bangladesh and I pretty much wanting to see how the team performs in the match,” Domingo said here in Chattogram before Bangladesh’s practice session on Tuesday.
“It is very difficult to make whole sale changes as it is very difficult in first test match [for anyone else]. I am pretty much sitting back and trying to see how things plan out in the first Test match. Shakib and selectors led me to think in certain way and I am pretty much comfortable with that. I want to see how things pan out before I make my way.”
Since Shakib wants extreme spin in home track and Domingo himself isn’t sure about fast bowlers’ fitness and skill to bowl in long spell prompts the head coach to give the captain to baton to lead the way in strategic plan also.
“In the fitness aspect we have talked with Mario Villavarayn [fitness coach] as we are concerned about particular fast bowlers. If you see the best fast bowler in the world they can bowl 18 to 22 overs a day at the same pace. I am not sure if any young fast bowler can do that here. There is some good progress made in that front and some good progress requiring the make-up of the team at this moment so I am firstly wanting to see how the team performs.”
The Afghan Test, however, will be Shakib’s first International match after that epic World Cup. Domingo said as a leader, the team has high expectation on Shakib.
“He is the leading all-rounder in the world so the exception is very high especially the sets a really high standard for himself. His performance in all formats has been fantastic hopefully he can improve that and sustain that level. Our expectation from him as a leader and player is very high.”
Apart from Shakib, Domingo also wants to see his bowlers, especially the fast bowlers bowling in a long spell, showing their fitness.
With most of the coaching staffs are South African, it is expected that they would install South Africa mentality in Bangladesh’s approach. Domingo said at the moment the player’s work ethic and intensity is fantastic.
“I don’t know the training standard of previous coaches of Bangladesh.. look at the work ethic and intensity have been fantastic in the last two weeks I have been here .
“Ryan Cook has been phenomenal. Charl Langeveldt also in terms of what he expects from the bowlers–he has been very demanding. We want to maintain high intensity in the practice session and the work load of the players.
We want to make sure they are fit and strong especially the bowlers so that they can bowl long spell. We want to focus on bowler fitness level so that they can bowl fast in second and third spell.”
