Ending a month long speculations, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) finally named Russell Domingo as the head coach for the national cricket team on Saturday.
The former South African coach Russell Domingo was given a two-year period after he piped Mike Hesson and Mickey Arthur in the race to succeed Steve Rhodes, who parted ways with the BCB following the team finished eighth at the 2019 World Cup.
Domingo is due to arrive in Dhaka on August 21 to take charge of the national team, said Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan Papon.
His first assignment will be Bangladesh’s one-off Test series against Afghanistan, slated to begin from September 5. The Bangladesh will start their practice camp from the Test and subsequent tri-nation T20 series involving Zimbabwe and Afghanistan within couple of days.
Announcing the appointment BCB President said Domingo’s vision for Bangladesh made him the ideal candidate for the role.
“He has a wealth of experience and we have been very impressed with his passion and coaching philosophy. He has a clear idea of what is required to take the team forward,” Papon said here today.
His availability is key to give him the contract, added BCB president.
“Three coaches are in our short list at the last moment. We had to select a criterion in which the major was availability. We want a coach who can work here in full time basis,” Papon revealed.
Domingo earlier on August 7 came to Dhaka to give an interview to BCB president Nazmul Hassan Papon. Later some other coaches gave interview through video conference but BCB president refused to reveal their name.
“We saw that Russell Domingo filled our criterion and we confirmed his service on Friday. He is available in the whole period unlike the other coaches. He said he has no other job to do apart from looking after the cricketers. What impressed us most that he wants to work with the budding cricketers also, which we wanted actually. He has the vast knowledge of working with the budding cricketers in South Africa and that’s why he became the first choice of us.”
It is believed the other coaches like Hesson, Aurther who gave interview through video conference demanded the amount that BCB was reluctant to pay. Domingo said he was eagerly looking ahead to his new challenge: “It is a massive honour to be appointed the Head Coach of the Bangladesh National Cricket Team. I have followed Bangladesh’s progress with keen interest and I am extremely excited to assist the team in reaching the goals that they are capable of.
“I look forward to continuing the ongoing development of current players whilst also looking towards the future and developing some new bright stars from within the talent pool of Bangladesh cricket.”
Domingo had played junior cricket for Eastern Province before moving into coaching at an early age. He became South Africa Under 19 coach for the 2004 ICC Under19 World Cup in Bangladesh.
In 2010, Domingo was made the coach of South Africa A for the tour of Bangladesh. Domingo was appointed Assistant Coach of the South Africa National Team in 2011 and took over from Gary Kirsten as coach of the T20 squad in December 2012 before replacing Kirsten as National Team Head Coach in 2013, a post he held up to 2017.
He has led South Africa to semifinals of the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh and the 2015 ICC World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Domingo has also coached the Warriors franchise in South Africa’s domestic one-day and Twenty20 competitions and at the Champions League Twenty20.
