Bangladesh’s batting consultant Neil McKenzie is all set to work with the national team during their first Test against India, scheduled to be held in Indore from November 14-18.
This will be the first time the former South African batsman will work with the Tigers in the longer-format after being appointed as their batting consultant in July last year with his job limited only to white-ball cricket.
The 43-year old, who had a contract with the Bangladesh Cricket Board until 2019 ICC World Cup in England and Wales, earlier extended his contract and the BCB is now trying to secure his services in Tests alongside the limited-over formats.
McKenzie, who was reluctant to work in all three formats with the Tigers to spend more time with his family, has agreed to work in the first game of the two-match Test series in India.
The Tigers are also scheduled to play three Twenty20 internationals before the two-match Test series in their month-long India tour.
‘He initially will be there for the first Test but we can’t say for sure about the second Test,’ BCB’s cricket operation committee chairman Akram Khan told reporters at Mirpur on Saturday.
‘We will discuss it. We have a contract for Twenty20s and one-day international with him, there is no such contract for Tests. But we are trying. It hasn’t been finalised yet.’
Akram said that they wanted to give McKenzie the same role in Tests so he can work in both red and white ball cricket.
‘We are thinking that it would be better for the team if the same coach works with both red ball and white ball teams. We are trying to make it happen.
‘Of course we are trying to appoint a Test batting coach. We are trying to work with a good coach but we haven’t found anyone yet. At one point we were not finding any coaches. This will take some time.
‘We are trying hard to get McKenzie as our coach in all three formats, which will benefit us. He coached South Africa in all three formats. But he is finding it difficult to make time for his family. So we are discussing it with him,’ he added.
Akram also said that Bangladesh’s new spin-bowling coach Daniel Vettori will join the side ahead of their preparation camp for the India series, which will start on October 25.
The former New Zealand captain earlier replaced India’s Sunil Joshi as the spin bowling coach and he would work for 100 days up to 2020 ICC Twenty20 World Cup in Australia.
‘Our practice will begin from October 25. He [Vettori] will arrive in Bangladesh before that. He will be with us from this series,’ Akram said.
Akram also expressed his doubts over the timely start of the next edition of Bangladesh Premier League and hoped to take a final decision about the tournament within a few days.
The seventh edition of BPL is scheduled to start on December 6.
‘It’s tight. The timing is a bit tight. We have to take a decision in the coming two-three days,’ he said.
‘If we are to do it, we have to do it inside this timeline. We won’t get the time later,’ he added.
-With New Age input
