Neil McKenzie is working with Bangladesh as a limited-overs batting coach. BCB’s contract with this South African coach is only about coaching in white-ball cricket.
However, this time, McKenzie has a chance to be with the Bangladesh team as a red-ball coach. He will travel with the team to India to be with the roster from the first Test against India, he can stay with the team even for the whole series.
Tigers’ batsmen are quite happy working with McKenzie in white-ball cricket. Players wanted McKenzie in the India Test as well and that is the reason why he will be there with the squad. Cricket Operations Chairman Akram Khan said they had agreed a deal with the former Proteas batsman to be with the team during first Test against India.
Akram joined the coach’s development meeting on Saturday with game development chairman Khaled Mahmud Sujan and HP unit chairman Naimur Rahman Durjoy. After the meeting, he said, they are thinking of having the same batting coach in all editions. “What we're talking about is that if the same coach is available for all three formats than that is good for the team. We are trying. He will be in the first test, but I cannot assure whether he will be there during second Test.”
“We'll discuss it. The deal with him is only in Twenty20 and ODIs, we do not have a contract with him in Tests. But we are trying. It is not final yet.”
BCB hired McKenzie as the limited-overs batting coach only after his contract with Thilan Samaraweera ended. McKenzie, however, did not agree to work full-time in all versions to give the family time. So for the Tests, there was a different batting coach. The place has been vacant since BCB did not find anyone fit for the role.
The BCB is in talks with McKenzie to work in all formats this time, “The importance of hiring a batting coach in the Tests is our priority. We’re actually trying to work with a good coach, but can’t find one. At one stage, we were not getting a coach. So, it will take some time. However, the highest priority is that if McKenzie can coach in all three formats, it will be good for us. He was the coach of three formats in South Africa. But since he is having some problems with giving time to his family, we will discuss about it,” said Akram Khan.