The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has appointed 53-year-old former England wicketkeeper-batsman Steve Rhodes as the new head coach of the men’s national cricket team.
After almost eight months spent without a head coach, since Chandika Hathurusingha’s surprising resignation from that post in October 2017, Bangladesh cricket team finally got a head coach as Steve Rhodes quickly accepted that job.
On Thursday morning, Rhodes interviewed with the BCB panel and they satisfied enough on him to hand over that role.
BCB chief Nazmul Hasan has revealed Rhodes’ name as the new head coach. Rhodes has been contacted until the end of 2020 ICC World T20.
While Bangladesh team management consultant Gary Kirsten suggested Rhodes’ name as the head coach, Rhodes is feeling proud on that.
Rhodes said on that, “I spoke with Nizam originally. I am proud that Gary Kirsten, a very respected cricketing figure, put my name forward. The temptation straightaway was to say, ‘yes, of course’. It didn’t take long at all to show my interest to coach this wonderful country.”
Making his international debut in 1989 for England, Rhodes played only 11 Tests and 9 ODIs. He played his last international game in February 1995. However, he played 440 first-class matches, 477 List-A games and 3 T20 matches from 1981 to 2004.
During England’s tour of Bangladesh in 2016, Rhodes was a part of the coaching staff of English cricket team.
Speaking about his coaching, Rhodes said, “I am very lucky to be involved in some of England’s preparations which include their tour to Bangladesh in 2016. I have had a flavour of international coaching. There’s not a lot of difference in how you go about your coaching, but obviously, the international programme is quite heavy.
“Trying to keep the boys up for the game isn’t easy to do. Ultimately, I feel as though I am qualified now. You can see I have grey hair, which tends to mean you’ve gone through hard times. Hopefully, my experience will be of real value to the Bangladesh team.”
Rhodes first big responsibility will be the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup in England. After a good result in 2017 ICC Champions Trophy in England, where Bangladesh reached the semi-final, everyone is expecting a good cricket from them in the next year’s world cup.
Rhodes spoke on that matter, “I just told the president and board members that Bangladesh did well in the Champions Trophy in England. They’ve proved they can play well in English conditions. To get to a semi-final in that competition was a marvellous effort by Bangladesh.
“If we can get to that stage or even further, I am now thinking along the lines of what a dream would be to see Bangladesh lined up for the final. It would be a fantastic occasion.”
