Bangladesh's historic series win in Pakistan was the result of a concerted effort from players, selectors, and coaching staff, with minimal interference from the board in cricketing matters. The Bangladesh Tigers programme, particularly in terms of coaching and preparation, played a crucial role. The synergy between the national team, the programme, and cricket operations is expected to greatly contribute to a successful tour of India in September.
The Tigers programme, which commenced two years ago, had often been questioned. However, following the successful tour of Pakistan, its significance has been brought to light, especially as players have spoken about the advantages of their preparation.
In December of the previous year, a plan was formulated in collaboration with the programme to align the national team's schedules with those of the Bangladesh Tigers. This initiative aimed to fully realise the programme's purpose by defining the structure and timing of practice sessions.
The main objectives were to ensure players remained ready for national team duties, particularly those not currently in the squad but considered potential candidates. When a series approaches, the programme is adjusted to meet specific goals.
Head coach Chandika Hathurusingha has been fully integrated into the programme, with plans in place for series and tournaments until June 2025. Additionally, the coaches within the programme have been given complete freedom to manage the specific needs of individual players.
Upon returning to the country, skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto mentioned that they had received clear instructions regarding their roles and endorsed continuity, emphasising a focus on the process rather than outcomes.
Maintaining this coordination, selectors had already identified a pool of players in three categories to prepare the team for the India series nearly two weeks ago. Players from the High Performance (HP) unit began preparations on Wednesday. The Test team players and the A team players make up the other two categories.
Under the Tigers programme, the Test side will undergo preparation from 8th to 14th September before departing on the 15th, while the white-ball players will continue their preparation until 30th September.
Tareq Aziz, a former national team player and now a bowling coach for the Bangladesh Tigers, discussed the specifics, particularly regarding work with bowlers. He noted that India's batting lineup is filled with skilful players, and to defeat them, one needs skill. The team is gathering information from analysts and planning accordingly. The focus is on how to contain certain players in T20s and dismiss them, with performance analysts fine-tuning strategies to highlight to players once preparations commence in full swing on the 8th, for both red-ball and white-ball bowlers.
The aim is for players to be mentally, physically, and skill-wise prepared.
