The new Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons recently reminded his players to focus on cricket as the team readies for a two-match Test series against South Africa. The test series will begin on October 21 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Simmons arrives at the helm of affairs at a testing time, succeeding Chandika Hathurusinghe, whose departure paved the way for these two Tests, in which a big absentee will be Shakib Al Hasan.

Focus On Cricket

At the first press conference, Simmons said he wanted an outside noise focus. “Our job over the next few days is to make sure that our attention is on cricket and not outside issues,” he said. He made it clear that the team has to prepare for the Test matches, considering such a win may send Bangladesh to the final stages of the World Test Championship.

Learning From Past History

Simmons, the second West Indian to coach Bangladesh after Gordon Greenidge, feels that his experiences with Ireland and Afghanistan are going to be much more valuable than any amount of research. He said, “All these experiences are going to help me handle the team accordingly. My philosophy is that hard work in preparation leads to positive results in the matches.” He has also appreciated the players for their seriousness in the last few practice sessions.

Good Chance Against South Africa

Simmons believes his team has what it takes to test South Africa, who haven’t won a Test series in the subcontinent in a decade. “This is a great opportunity for us,” he said while expounding on the strength of Bangladesh at home. He had many fruitful discussions with team captain Najmul Hossain while finalizing strategies for the first Test.

The Outlook

The second Test of the series is scheduled on October 29 at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram, which will also be a part of the ICC Test Championship. And with the more settled Simmons, he looks for an atmosphere where players can enjoy their game and make it big internationally.