Bangladesh look set to be a real powerhouse in world cricket, says new head coach Russell Domingo

SportsCafe Desk
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Bangladesh’s new head coach Russell Domingo is confident that his side has the potential to be a powerhouse in world cricket in the next few years. Domingo, who was a rank outsider for the job, is understood to have impressed his new bosses with his specific plans for the younger players.

In yesteryears, Bangladesh would’ve looked at their 2019 World Cup performance – three wins and contending for a semi-final spot – with pride. However, beating the likes of South Africa and West Indies, while coming close against India and New Zealand, is not enough to satisfy the ambitions of the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

"If you look around the world, Bangladesh seems to be one of the teams that has developed the most over the last five or six years. They have an unbelievable fan base. Having met the board, they definitely seem to have a plan. There is definitely a big interest in the future of the game, in some of the younger players coming through. Everything looks in place to be a real powerhouse in world cricket, and that has really excited me about Bangladesh."

Domingo boasts of two decades worth of experience in coaching, but all of them within South Africa. However, when you stack that against the likes of Andy Flower and Mike Hesson, his resume seems rather pale. Yet, he beat even a possible return for Chandika Hathurusingha to bag the job.

"Bangladesh has some fantastic players but it is good to have some young options coming into the system and creating some pressure on the senior players. Also, providing them with the odd opportunity to play international cricket, because ultimately that's where you need them," Domingo said.

“I really think it is important to work with the high-performance coach and manager, to figure out who the next best players are. The Under-19s beat England four times and pushed India really hard," he continued.

While the U19s performed well at the tri-series in England, the senior side took a heavy beating on the tour of Sri Lanka. However, the South African has said that he will not consider the blip from those three ODIs, but instead look to build on the promising signs shown at the World Cup.

"I am excited with what I saw [of Bangladesh] in the World Cup. There were so many games when they got really close. The margins are so small that it is about overcoming the mental obstacles. Now that the World Cup is done, it is time to move forward and take the learnings into the next World Cup," Domingo added.

To his benefit, Domingo will have some familiar faces in his support staff with three South Africans in the form of Neil McKenzie, the white-ball batting coach, fielding coach Ryan Cook who has been around for more than a year, and Charl Langeveldt, who joined as pace bowling coach a week ago. Their first challenge will come next month when Bangladesh take on Afghanistan.

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