After a successful stint with the under-19s and the High Performance Unit from 2003 to 2005, Richard McInnes has joined the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) once again — this time as the head coach of the National Cricket Academy.
Having nurtured the likes of Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim, the Australian is considered by many as one of the chief architects of the present day national squad. “I’m glad to be back here. My objective is pretty much similar to last time. I need to assist players and create a strong reserve team,” said McInnes.
McInnes, who’ll be working alongside national coach Richard Pybus, hopes to make an even better impression in his second stint. “The training facilities at the academy are much better than before. The processes and systems around the facilities need to be fine-tuned though,” said McInnes.
A key figure behind development of the core strength of the national line-up, McInnes believes that it was a combination of both talent and good training that created the right attitude amongst the younger players. He said, “Players like Mushfiq and Shakib are driven to play well and they can perform in any environment. I was fortunate to train them. They trained to actually improve as opposed to just attending the training sessions.”
Stating an example of one of the changes that he had brought about during his last stint, he said, “I discouraged the boys to play against the younger boys at the academy. You won’t get 12-year-olds bowling at you in Test cricket. That doesn’t make you a better player. ”
As opposed to the new concept of specialising in only one version of the game, the Australian believes that a good player should be able to excel in all the formats. “If you look around the world, you’ll find that the best players are the best players… they play well in all the three formats,” he said.
“There can be a few players who can be used based on the different formats, but the core team needs to be strong,” he adds.
Known for his strict training methods, McInnes has always believed in maintaining a disciplined structure, right from the players’ nutrition to introducing physically strenuous training routines. A number of players from the current squad have given credit to the Australian for his unconventional techniques.
“There are a number of things that go towards making a good international player. The reason why I focus on the most basic aspects such as nutrition is because these are the easiest areas to progress in. You cannot ignore them,” he said.
“The domestic competition in Bangladesh isn’t as strong as some of the other countries, so it’s obviously going to take a longer time for the local players to be mentally strong. So if we can progress in some other areas, over time it can eventually help the players become more competitive in the long run,” adds McInnes.
The Australian stated that it was the passion for cricket in Bangladesh that brought him back to the country. “I don’t think there’s any country in the world that has more passion for cricket than Bangladesh,” he said.
Things have changed by a huge degree ever since the Australian resigned in 2005. Expectations have rocketed in the last seven years and the head coach of the NCA is bound to face a lot more pressure; only time can tell if Richard McInnes can be as successful as in his previous stint.
-With The Daily Star input
