DHAKA: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) appointed South Africa Russell Domingo as their national team’s head coach on Saturday succeeding Steve Rhodes who exited after the team finished eighth in the World Cup last month.

The 44-year-old has agreed to a two-year term with the BCB and is expected to arrive in Dhaka on Wednesday to take charge.

“He has a wealth of experience and we have been very impressed with his passion and coaching philosophy,” BCB president Nazmul Hassan said. “He has a clear idea of what is required to take the team forward.”

Bangladesh were struggling to appoint a head coach ahead of hosting Afghanistan for one Test series in early September and a tri-nation tournament with the visitors and Zimbabwe.

The Tigers had no coach for over a month after the BCB parted ways with Rhodes following the team’s dismal finish in the league stage of the recent World Cup.

BCB director and former skipper Khaled Mahmud took temporary charge during a 0-3 defeat to Sri Lanka in a three-match One-day International series in late July.

Nazmul said they chose Domingo ahead of other candidates because of his availability.

“We also sought a full-time coach... [Domingo] said he was very keen to work with the boys and didn’t want any holiday breaks. These are the reasons why we found him suitable,” he added.

Domingo, the lone candidate to face an interview for the post when he arrived in Dhaka on Aug 7, said he was eagerly looking ahead to his new challenge.

Domingo said he was looking ahead to the new challenge.

“It is a massive honour...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,” he said.

The 44-year-old was picked ahead of former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson and former Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur, local media reported.

Hesson was also in the race for the India coach’s job before Ravi Shastri was given another stint in that role.

Arthur applied for the Bangladesh role after Pakistan denied him an extension following the team’s failure to reach the semi-final of the World Cup.

Domingo was the assistant coach of South Africa in 2011. He replaced Gary Kirsten as national team head coach of the Proteas in 2013 and remained there 2017.

Domingo coached South Africa to the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup in 2014 and the 50-overs World Cup in 2015. He will have compatriots Charl Langeveldt and Neil McKenzie among his support staff.

Bangladesh last month appointed Langeveldt as the pace bowling coach and retained McKenzie as batting coach.

Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has also been appointed as new spin bowling coach up to ICC World Twenty20 in Australia next year.

Domingo will travel to India in his current role as South Africa ‘A’ coach and his first assignment with Bangladesh will be their one-off Test against Afghanistan in Chittagong next month.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2019