DHAKA, Bangladesh, Oct 26, CMC – Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons has refuted claims that his side is distracted ahead of their upcoming two-match Test series against West Indies.
His comments have come following the removal of batting coach Mohammad Ashraful just days before the first Test bowls off on Wednesday.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced on Saturday that it had reassigned Ashraful from his role, with High-Performance coach Mohammad Salahuddin set to take over the role on an interim basis.
Bangladesh’s performances in the UAE earlier this month also added to the uncertainty surrounding the team. They drew the one-off Test against Afghanistan before returning home empty-handed from the ODI tri-series, losing both matches against Afghanistan and Zimbabwe.
“Is this the first time there’s chaos before a match? Every series is important. Those that we played earlier in the year were important too, but the thing is how we go about our preparation for the series.
“I think that the group that was here have been excellent in the last three or four days. They’ve been doing their work and now the whole team joins together. It’s what we do over the next two days. It’s not what’s happening outside, it’s what we do as a team to prepare,” Simmons said.
Simmons insisted that the team remained focused ahead of the series against West Indies, which is seen as crucial to Bangladesh’s bid for an unlikely place in the World Test Championship final.
They are currently fourth in the standings in the current cycle.
“I think everyone is very focused on the Test match. The same in the Test match in Abu Dhabi, I think everyone was focused on the Test match and what’s in front of them.
“I think there’s that goal and that desire to play in the World Test Championship and this is the first time we’ve had that opportunity to be there. So I think everyone is going to be up and ready for the Test matches,” Simmons said.
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