‘Is this the first time there's chaos before a match?’

Simmons unfazed by chaos ahead of Windies Tests

Nothing appears to surprise Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons anymore.

Having witnessed three changes in the Bangladesh Cricket Board's presidency in a relatively short period, Simmons hardly seemed taken aback when asked about the turbulence surrounding the Tigers ahead of their crucial two-match Test series against West Indies, part of the World Test Championship (WTC).

Bangladesh discontinued batting coach Mohammad Ashraful from his role with the national team just four days before the first Test in Mirpur, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the team's preparations. The Tigers have also had little time to regroup as a full squad, having been occupied with the UAE tri-nation ODI series, from which their exit also drew criticism.

But Simmons was in no mood to dwell on the off-field developments, instead emphasising the importance of preparation and the work that lies ahead.

“You have been in Bangladesh a lot longer than me. You've seen world cricket a lot longer than me. Is this the first time there's chaos before a match? No, right. So every series is important,” Simmons said when asked about the situation ahead of the series.

Asked whether Ashraful's removal was unfair, the Bangladesh coach chose not to comment, saying: “I don't think that's a question for me.”

With Bangladesh currently fourth in the WTC standings and still in contention for a place in the final, Simmons stressed that the team's focus must remain on what happens inside the dressing room rather than the noise surrounding it.

He also highlighted the importance of the final two days of training before the first Test, insisting that the players who had been preparing in Mirpur had shown the right attitude.

“Those that we were playing at the start of this two years were important too. But the thing is how we go about our business, our preparation for the series. And I think that the group that was here have been excellent in the last three or four days. They've been doing their work and now the whole team joins together. It's what we do over the next two days. It's not what's happening outside, it's what we do as a team to prepare,” he added.

Simmons, however, acknowledged that the scheduling had not provided Bangladesh with the ideal build-up to a Test series, particularly given the limited time the entire squad had spent together.

The tri-nation series meant several players involved in both ODI and Test cricket had been occupied with national duties, leaving little room for a full-squad preparation camp. Still, the coach was keen to point out that the players had not been idle.

“We didn't get the whole team because we were in the middle of a series. We were in the middle of a tri-nation series and it just so happens that quite a few of our players who play in both ODI and Test cricket were involved. So no, it's not the total ideal situation, but the guys weren't sitting down, so they were playing cricket. So there's still a lot there. It's just for these two days for us to put things together as a whole squad,” he said.

With the first Test approaching, Simmons' message was clear: Bangladesh may have had to contend with uncertainty off the field, but the immediate priority is to make the most of the time available and ensure the team is ready when the action begins.