Agency :
Bangladesh’s newly appointed head coach, Phil Simmons, revealed that he was offered the position around 10 days ago and found it an easy decision to accept.
Simmons, who has previously coached teams such as the West Indies, Ireland, and Afghanistan, has replaced Chandika Hathurusingha and signed a contract that runs until next year’s ICC Champions Trophy in India.
In his first media appearance since taking the role, Simmons shared what attracted him to the Bangladesh coaching job. Interestingly, Simmons had applied for the same role back in 2018 but was passed over in favor of Steve Rhodes.
“Today is Saturday? Maybe a week and a half ago,” Simmons revealed when he was offered the position during his first press conference as the Bangladesh coach at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur today.
“The interest comes from seeing the young players and the quality that they have. Watching some of the Pakistan Test matches and seeing how they handled themselves in some of those Test matches.
Then the T20s in India didn’t go well but that is the best T20 team in the world at present,”
“It is all added up to an assignment, which I enjoyed. One, young players to develop, two, there are Test matches, 50-overs and everything involved. So, it wasn’t a hard decision” he added.
Simmons’ first challenge as coach will be leading Bangladesh in a two-Test series against South Africa, starting on Monday in Mirpur. The West Indian coach believes that the Tigers have a strong chance to make history by securing their first-ever Test series victory against the Proteas.
“It is definitely a good opportunity. Bangladesh are usually very strong at home. So, it is a very good opportunity for us to win the Test series. South Africa has that [record of not winning in the sub-continent in the last 10 years] hanging over their heads but they are a resilient team. They will work hard to change that.”