Simmons ready for Zim challenge

FORMER Zimbabwe cricket coach, Phil Simmons wants Bangladesh to dominate their upcoming Test match against the Chevrons.

Bangladesh began their preparation ahead of the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe at Sylhet yesterday. Phil Simmons, who will be in charge of the team until the 2027 World Cup, spoke to Cricbuzz before training and opened up about his coaching philosophy and plans to guide a side currently in transition following the retirement of several senior players.

Simmons, who coached the Chevrons between 2004 and 2005, has ambitious plans for Bangladesh and wants them to dominate in the match against Zimbabwe as they are ranked lower than the Tigers. Asked for the key areas he would want to focus on with the Test team, Simmons said:

“In Test cricket, the focus is on batting for long periods, batting for two days, batting for 100 overs. The team has shown they can do it. We did it in Pakistan, and we showed it in the West Indies, especially in the second Test.

“So, the ability is there. But it has to happen on a consistent basis. If we can regularly have one player scoring a hundred in every Test or every two Tests, we will be making progress. Our bowling is already strong.”

Oh his approach against Zimbabwe, Simmons said he just wants to establish a system to help the team handle any challenge.

“It doesn’t matter who we’re playing. What I want to establish is a clear playing style, a way of playing that remains consistent regardless of the opposition. When we face a team ranked below us, we should dominate.

“And when we face a higher-ranked team, we should play to win with a structured approach. This needs to start now. We showed glimpses of it in the second Test against the West Indies. If we can maintain that attitude in Test cricket, that’s what I want to see.”

Bangladesh are going through a transition period and there are some things Simmonds would want to prioritise with some senior players having left the dressing room.

“When a team is going through a transition period, the thing that needs to be prioritised is consistency, from the point of view of not chopping and changing players regularly. What we will try to build is a team that plays together.

“The more we play together, the more we understand each other, and the more success we’ll have. So during the transition, consistency is key: one, in selection; two, in the way we play; and three, in our attitude and how we train.” − Sports Reporter/Cricbuzz