Tigers batting coach Lewis arrives in Bangladesh

Jon Lewis, the newly appointed batting coach of the national cricket team today arrived in Bangladesh to join the national team set-up.

The former English batsman was appointed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for the upcoming home series against West Indies this month and the tour of New Zealand in February.

“Due to the Covid-19 situation, no one is interested for a long term contract. We have already in problem with Daniel Vettori. He wanted to come in Bangladesh but due to the complex Covid-19 rule in New Zealand he can’t come here for the series against West Indies,” BCB cricket operations chairman Akram Khan said.

“We actually want to see Lewis in two series after which we will decide whether he will be good choice for us,” he remarked.

Lewis will join the Tigers’ preliminary ODI squad’s camp which starts from January 10.

The BCB will seek special permission from the government so that he can join the national team set up if he returns Covid-19 negative.

“For the people coming from UK, there is a restriction of 14-day quarantine. But we will take special permission from the government so that he can join the national team if he returns Covid-19 negative. We had done so in our other coaches too,” BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury said.

The fifty-year-old former county opening batsman has been in coaching since 2007 and has recent experience of working with England’s ODI side as its batting coach. He has also been in the same role for Sri Lanka in 2018-2019.

Bangladesh will play a three-match ODI and two-match Test series against a visiting West Indies with the ODI series beginning from January 20. The Tigers will play the first of two Tests against West Indies on February 3.

Following the West Indies series, the Tigers will fly for New Zealand in the last week of February for three ODIs and three T20Is.-BSS