Rangana Herath in line for Bangladesh’s spin-bowling coach role

Rangana Herath, the former Sri Lankan cricketer, is the front-runner to become Bangladesh’s spin-bowling coach. Earlier this year, New Zealander Daniel Vettori’s stint as the coach ended, and ever since then, Sohel Islam has been deputising for him. As far as the 43-year-old Herath is concerned, it would be his first major coaching role after he bid adieu to cricket back in 2018.

Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal and India’s Sairaj Bahutule are also in contention, but Herath is said to be a step ahead of them. Akram Khan, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) cricket operations chairman, also stated that the batting coach is also expected to be picked soon.

As per reports, Jamie Siddons, their former coach, could make a comeback. Siddons served as their head coach from 2007 to 2011.

BCB ‘not showing any interest’ for Daniel Vettori

“It is difficult to find a coach during the Covid period but we will try to sign a coach before touring Zimbabwe as Australia will arrive right after the Zimbabwe series,” Khan was quoted as saying in ESPNcricinfo.

“Then England and New Zealand will also come. That’s why we are trying to finalise it now. Three spin bowling coaches (candidates) will come from Asia, one each from Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan. We are trying to communicate with them and maybe they will arrive in a few days.

“We will take the opinions of senior cricketers in the next two-three days, discuss it with the coaching staff, the head coach and we also need to think about it further,” he stated.

The board was also clear-cut in saying that it’s not showing any interest in Vettori. Due to the pandemic, Vettori could only be available when the Tigers toured New Zealand for a T20I and ODI series.

“In the current circumstance, it will be difficult to get him [Vettori]. Hence, we are not showing any interest in him… To be honest, some players want Sohel as the spin bowling coach,” Khan added.

Bangladesh, recently, played a three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. Tamim Iqbal and Co won the series 2-1 and moved to the top of the Super League points table.