Bangladesh recently defeated Zimbabwe in a one-off Test match last month but before that victory, they were outplayed in the longest format by their Asian neighbours. They played four matches in total against India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, losing all of them. This has raised some serious questions about the team’s quality in red-ball cricket and now according to recent reports, Bangladesh Cricket Board are hoping to rope in former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar as the team’s Test match batting consultant. Pakistan vs Bangladesh Karachi Test, Lone ODI Postponed Due to Coronavirus Outbreak.

According to a report from Cricbuzz, BCB are looking to secure the signing of Sanjay Bangar as team’s batting consultant specifically for the longest format of the game. The cricket board were hoping to convince Neil McKenzie, who currently serves as a consultant in the limited-overs format but it is understood that the South African is not keen on coaching in all the formats on a regular basis. Bangladesh's Tour of Pakistan in April Under Doubt Amid Coronavirus Outbreak.

‘We have spoken with Bangar for Test batting consultant but nothing is finalized yet,’ BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said on Wednesday. ‘We are also negotiating with few others as well’ he added. ‘McKenzie is looking after the red-ball cricket despite being a white ball consultant and till we get a batting consultant for Test cricket we are expecting him to do the job in red ball’ Chowdhury said.

Sanjay Bangar worked with the Indian team from 2014 to 2019 and also served as an interim head coach on the Zimbabwe and West Indies Tours in 2016 and 2017 respectively. BCB are hoping to secure a deal with the Indian ahead of their two-match Test series against Australia at home in June 2020.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 18, 2020 04:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).