Short-term focus on building on Bangladesh's strengths: Sriram
Sridharan Sriram, Bangladesh's newly appointed T20 technical director, said on Thursday that he is eyeing to set up clear expectations of what is required at this level from a professional standpoint to do well in the shortest format.
Bangladesh Cricket Board recently handed over the rein of the T20s set-up to Sriram following a string of losses in the format after deciding head coach Russell Domingo will be in-charge of ODIs and Tests.
Sriram, during his first media interaction since taking over the reign, insisted that he is clear about his role and it will be more on collaborating and putting up the right strategy rather than leading the side.
"I think it's very simple and I am very clear about my role here, probably bringing in the resources. We got some very good skill coaches and I trust what they are doing completely. My job is to basically work with the captain, work with the team director and bring the skill coaches, bring all three components together and use my T20 experience of IPL and Australia, and bring a strategy where we can use our resources properly. So I am very clear about my role and I am not saying I am leading the side, I am just trying to collaborate," he said.
"Coming into a culture like Bangladesh, I understand the upbringing and I understand the way they approach the game, and at the same time, I can bring that professionalism and the expectations. I can really set clear expectations of what is required at this level from a professional standpoint. So I think it's a good sort of combination and I am looking forward to it," he said adding that he is not ready to accept Bangladesh are a weak team in T20s.
"I am coming in with a fresh set of eyes. I was looking at this stat when - taking wickets, we averaged one of the best in the world to get the first three wickets and when it comes to first five wickets, we are probably one of the best in the world. So Bangladesh have done a lot of things right.
"It's not about what they have not done well, it's about retreating, what they are doing well and getting the best out of them. My focus in a short span of time is going to be on their strength and what they do really well and building on those strengths.
Sriram added that he is impressed with the way T20 skipper Shakib al Hasan operates, adding that he is confident that they will reap benefit after bringing him back in a leadership role.
"It's a fantastic move to get Shakib as captain and I interacted with him for the first time. I respected him as an opponent and it's so heartening to see his view on the T20 game. It's so modern, it was so refreshing, and we were on the same page. The dynamics he has with the younger group is so amazing and the youngster look up to him, they respect him but he is also very approachable which is very unique sort of combination. It's a very good dynamic to have between the captain and the team, and I think it will be very positive and refreshing move for Bangladesh," he said, adding that they will soon get accustomed with the heat in UAE that turned out to be the talking point ahead of the Asia Cup.
"It's our first outdoor session and we are stepping in. We were literally out and about in the city, and this is really the first training session. It's an odd time of the day that we are training in, we don't really train between 9 and 11 very often and so we will start into the paces and get the intensity up slowly. We have got three more sessions and two sessions between four and six so it's a good mix and match to get attached with the heat," he concluded.
Bangladesh will begin their tournament campaign against Afghanistan on August 30 in Sharjah before they face Sri Lanka in the last group match on September 1 in Dubai.
Source: Cricbuzz
