Phil Simmons on Bangladesh's Transition, Spin Concerns and Leadership Options

Bangladesh began their preparation ahead of the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe at Sylhet on April 14. Phil Simmons, who will be in charge of the team until the 2027 World Cup, spoke to Cricbuzz before training and opened up about his coaching philosophy and plans to guide a side currently in transition following the retirement of several senior players.

Consistency is Key

When a team is going through a transition period, the thing that needs to be prioritised is consistency, from the point of view of not chopping and changing players regularly. What we will try to build is a team that plays together. The more we play together, the more we understand each other, and the more success we'll have.

T20I Unit

In T20s, I think we have the quality of players who can make an excellent team. We need to settle on how we want to play T20 cricket. Some teams go hard up front, some at the death, we need to know our strength, and that's what we're going to work on leading up to the Asia Cup.

ODI Unit

I think why we are failing as an ODI unit is that we are not putting enough runs on the board. All the successful teams score 280 to 290, and if you go under that, you struggle against the bigger teams. We just need to put runs on the board and for our batsmen to take responsibility every time they go out there.

Spin Concerns

I don't know who's saying it's about the PowerPlay. Yes, the PowerPlay is important, but more so in T20Is than ODIs. In ODIs, during the middle overs, you need to score consistently, five, six runs an over and above. You're right, we've been under pressure in that period. That's the biggest area we need to work on as a batting unit for ODI cricket.

Leadership Options

I think we have talented young players, but Shakib didn't become a star after two games. Mushfiqur or Mahmudullah didn't become stars after two games either; they took time. So the guys who are coming in to fill that void, as you're calling it, must be given the same time. If we're planning for the 2027 World Cup, now is the time to start. Let the players learn how to play those periods.

Test Team

In Test cricket, the focus is on batting for long periods, batting for two days, batting for 100 overs. The team has shown they can do it. We did it in Pakistan, and we showed it in the West Indies, especially in the second Test. So, the ability is there. But it has to happen on a consistent basis.

Approach Against Zimbabwe

It doesn't matter who we're playing. What I want to establish is a clear playing style, a way of playing that remains consistent regardless of the opposition. When we face a team ranked below us, we should dominate. And when we face a higher-ranked team, we should play to win with a structured approach.

Spin Bowlers

Well, you need spinners and there is a difference between spinners and slow bowlers. I like spinners. I don't like slow bowlers. So it's going to be a big focus moving forward. Mushtaq Ahmed is there, and he loves that too. I've played against him, I know how he prepared, how he bowled, and how he thought on the field. So that's something he will work on. The more you turn the ball, the more chances you have of getting wickets.

Domestic Cricket

Yes, I've been seeing the scores and who's doing well. Mohammad Salahuddin has been brilliant. He knows all the players, and I'm getting to know most of them now. For the ones I don't know, he's been brilliant, we've been chatting regularly about players. He's watching the Dhaka Premier League while I'm not there, and he's keeping me up to date.

Coaching Philosophy

My coaching journey has been excellent. It's been about trying to improve players and making sure they're getting better at what they're supposed to do for the team. My philosophy has always been: the harder you prepare, the easier the match day becomes. I also believe that the team is bigger than any one player, everyone must play for the team and be happy for each other.