Shaun Tait, the pace bowling coach for Bangladesh, is confident in his team’s prospects of winning the Asia Cup. Bangladesh advanced to the continental competition after winning three consecutive T20I series. Tait talked candidly about his coaching style and much more in an exclusive interview with Cricbuzz. These are the quotes.
What is the current response of the pacers?
Look, working with them has been fun. I am aware of that. They bowled pretty effectively in that past series, in my opinion. And I still remember that we won the last two Twenty20 series. Additionally, I felt the pacers performed admirably. With the new ball, I believe we needed to get better. And I believe we succeeded in doing so; you see, we outperformed Sri Lanka in the Pakistan series with the new ball. Thus, there have been some advancements. I believe that Bangladesh currently has a good supply of fast bowlers, so that’s a plus.
You keep bringing up Bangladeshi pacers like Shoriful and Nahid Rana. The rotation policy is another topic you are discussing. How beneficial do you think the rotation policy is overall, and how do you envision it developing?
Look, I have to admit that I don’t really feel strongly about rotation. In my mind, it seems to be happening virtually every day. I simply understand the athletes’ emotions. In the end, it’s also what the captain want moving ahead. And I believe that you have a little more leeway to do that (rotation) when you have a depth of quick bowling.
I suppose you have less flexibility to rotate if your fast bowling lacks depth. There will always be controversy surrounding rotation because the media will report on you if you lose matches when rotating (laughs). Additionally, it’s typical for people to become frustrated. It’s typical. Look, the Asia Cup is our next big event. Therefore, I believe the captain will want to play his first-choice side in the Asia Cup if there are days in between games.
Because of their bowling depth, do you believe Bangladesh has the flexibility to rotate?
Yes, a little. I absolutely think a little bit. I believe we have the guys, even the guys who aren’t on the squad.
Khaled, Hasan, or Ebadot?
I believe that any of the three players—Ebadot, Khaled, and Hasan Mahmud—could easily join the T20 squad. They are also capable to joining the 50-over squad. Therefore, I do believe that we currently enjoy a luxury. We do have the luxury of depth in our fast bowling, which is great in my opinion, without being overconfident. As a fast bowling coach, I think this is an excellent position to be in at the moment. Additionally, I believe that if we get everything correct, you will have a strong rotational rhythm.
Taskin is recovering from his injury, you know. He is just returning to his peak. And I believe that you may rotate a little bit when you’re recovering from an injury, for instance, to make sure they’re remaining in the right, you know. They aren’t playing every game right away before suffering another injury. When someone like Taskin plays one game and misses the next, we can help him recover from his injuries more effectively, you know.
Instead of attempting six deliveries in an over, you want players to focus on their strengths. How would you describe this? Does the player’s mind constantly consider having different possibilities for different balls when he has a lot of options in his hand? Or do you believe he ought to be bowling to his strengths?
As for T20 cricket and all the leagues and such, I think that all the bowlers are keen to show off all the different deliveries they can throw, but the scores stay the same at the end of the day. Depending on where you are in the world, the score varies. When discussing India, scores are constantly higher than 200. Even when the bowlers’ deliveries vary widely, the scores continue to rise.
Therefore, I believe that for this squad and myself, I have been talking a lot about believing your talents and having faith that everything will work out if you continue to build on them and use them in games. Everything will work out. We’re just becoming extremely confused if we’re working on six different deliveries all day and then attempting to bowl a different ball every ball and change the pitch every ball as we approach the final overs. And I believe we have done it to some extent in the past.
So, while watching Bangladesh on TV, you’re attempting to bowl a variety of deliveries instead of… That’s right, let’s determine our strengths and then use those strengths with extreme ruthlessness. And I’ve been having some conversations with the guys about that. And I suppose we need to get the bowlers to really buy in at the end. And I hope we can be fairly assessed on our death bowling after the World Cup the following year.
Death bowling is an issue, according to your captain. Do you agree with it, or do you think these guys simply need to have a better understanding of their roles?
I believe a little bit of both. In the 50-over matches we actually played in Sri Lanka, I believe we performed fairly well; in a few of those matches, we bowled incredibly well at the end.
But in Twenty20 cricket?
I simply believe that there were hints of some excellent death bowling in the 50-over matches that we really bowled. They were a little bit mixed when they carried over into T20s. After putting up a few strong performances, we also took a slight break in Pakistan. So, for now, it’s around 50/50. Although we’re making progress and doing well, we must keep going.
And I believe that a significant portion of my attention with the bowlers has likely been death since I started this job or ever since. The boys have been working hard in our training, and we’ve talked a lot about how their death bowling has improved. Thus, it is undoubtedly a priority for us. Indeed, Litton is correct. It is a focal point.
You’ve previously worked here on the BPL side or on other sides. Since you know the majority of them, how does that actually help?
Yes, my prior work experience in Bangladesh does assist. I’ve already developed some sort of ties with some of the players. And it greatly simplified the process of joining the team. Additionally, I have a positive relationship with them, which is crucial. It was a job, and I believe that a few years ago, there was some discussion in Bangladeshi media that I would have a chance to accept the position.
For whatever reason, it hasn’t really worked out over time, but this time, I suppose, it has. I was therefore always really interested in getting that job. And I believe it has been developing for a few years. And I must admit, I’ve been enjoying it a lot so far. Because of the depth of the bowling and the fact that I had previously worked with them in the BPL and other situations, this is the ideal moment to work with that group.
In a way, everything went extremely well. To tell the truth, I’d rather be working with these people than in any other job at the moment. So far, it’s been a lot of fun. So, hopefully, it keeps going.
In the past, Bangladesh had won numerous bilateral series. Do you believe a world tournament is necessary for Bangladesh?
I do, indeed.
Would it be the next step, in your opinion?
Yes. You can’t really avoid that truth, in my opinion. I firmly believe that this group… Everything, of course, has a process. Additionally, I am aware of the procedures that underlie everything. However, I believe that this team of players deserves a prize. Furthermore, I won’t claim that we will win the World Cup tomorrow.
Although I am aware that it is probably not possible, I firmly believe that Bangladesh’s next step is to compete in the Asia Cups, the major bilateral series, and the World Cups during the next years. Because, as I mentioned before, some of these guys—Taskin, Fizz, etc.—make you want to win major matches when you look back on their career. And I firmly believe that this group is prepared for that. With this bunch of players, that’s what I want to be involved in.
Have you witnessed their hunger like this?
Of course. Absolutely… To be honest, I’m desperate to take a stand on the global cricket scene, especially when it comes to players like Taskin at this point in his career. The fact that we are currently ranked in Bangladesh is obviously somewhat unsatisfactory to these players. And I suppose it’s okay to keep talking about talent once you see it in the group.
And Shaun Tait think that’s how international cricket works.
The topics of talent and growth might be discussed for years on end. You may discuss rebuilding. But you have to win eventually. Additionally, I’m not arguing that you can simply stroll in and defeat the major teams right now. That’s really challenging. However, you must win games. As of right moment, we have won two T20 series: one against Sri Lanka and another against Pakistan.
That’s a fantastic beginning. Reaching an Asia Cup and defeating those teams once more is the next step. That’s my perspective. Cricket is being played internationally. Look, there is undoubtedly a segment of this Bangladeshi population that is continuously growing. I fully comprehend that. However, winning those crucial games a little more regularly must be crucial for everyone—the BCB, the media, and the fans.
India
