‘I am eagerly waiting to return Bangladesh’

Jamie Siddons, former head coach of the Bangladesh national cricket team, is a popular figure for those who are in touch with the country’s cricket. He served the national team as head coach from 2007 to 2011. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) again appointed the former Australian cricketer as batting consultant for a period of two years. He is likely to join in February.

He was in charge of the South Australia cricket team as head coach in his last assignment from where he has been sacked due to the poor performance of his team. However, Jamie Siddons believed that he still has the ability to work at the international level, especially in producing batsmen for the national side.

In an exclusive interview, he expressed his thoughts and opinion to improve Bangladesh cricket both on and off the field. Many issues, including the upcoming World Cup, batters failure in the T20 format, the importance of four senior cricketers, have been discussed with him.

Dhaka Post’s sports journalist Mahmudul Hasan Bappy took the interview of Jamie Siddons over the telephone.

Dhaka Post: Finally, able to reach you!

Jamie Siddons: Yeah, you first tried to reach me during Christmas which was our holiday. Later you have disappeared for a while.

Dhaka Post: You are all set to return to Bangladesh as a batting consultant. How does it feel?

Jamie Siddons: To be very honest, I am really excited about it. I have been waiting eagerly for a long time to return to Bangladesh as I loved that place. Now I look forward to starting the new journey with Bangladesh cricket with new enthusiasm.

Dhaka Post: You last worked with the South Australia cricket team as head coach. You have been sacked from there due to the team’s poor performance.

Jamie Siddons: Look, this is a long story. We have played 5-6 finals, though we didn’t win any title. But if you look at the statistics, seven cricketers of that team played in the Australian national team. My record of producing players at the international level is still so good.

When you work in domestic cricket, the result of the match or the point table doesn’t matter there. I think the key factor then is to be able to produce players for the international level. And I am successful on that scale. Players like Alex Carey and Travis Head are playing under me before joining the Australian national team.

Dhaka Post: But even then, after being sacked, have you thought about such a return like this?

Jamie Siddons: Of course. My record as a batting coach is still appreciated by many. I believed that Bangladeshi players were also waiting for my return. I am also looking forward to working with the young cricketers there.

Dhaka Post: The BCB are yet to decide your sector of work. Do you have any choice?

Jamie Siddons: Personally, I don’t have any specific choice. I will be happy to work whether with the national team or the High Performance Unit. I am eagerly waiting to return to Bangladesh. Let’s see what I can do to make Bangladesh cricket stronger.

Dhaka Post: Have you watched the Bangladesh game after leaving the responsibility?

Jamie Siddons: Not too much. I watched the Test series against New Zealand, I saw some very good performances. I think the boys played well, but there is a lack of consistency among them. I am planning to work on this specific sector with the players.

Dhaka Post: Do you like any Bangladeshi cricketer?

Jamie Siddons: I think, Liton Das. I am impressed with his batting.

Dhaka Post: Liton did well in the long format, but he seemed uncomfortable in the shorter format. What would be the problem of him in your consideration?
 
Jamie Siddons: I haven’t seen him much in white ball cricket. But I saw him play shrot ball very well which is a very interesting feature for a young Bangladeshi cricketer. He scored a century against New Zealand in the second Test on a very bouncy wicket where the rest of the batters of the squad felt very uncomfortable.

In my opinion, there is no reason behind his failure in white ball cricket. He is able to play shots and technically very sound. I have decided to work with him in improving his confidence in the shorter format.

Dhaka Post: Depending on the young players, Bangladesh got a historic victory over New Zealand in the last series. How do you explain the win?

Jamie Siddons: I think it’s a great win. Winning the toss and sending the opponent to bat then restricted them in a minimal total writes the script of the match. I am impressed with the performance of the batters and bowlers. There was a bit of inconsistency in the second Test, as I said before. But winning a Test against New Zealand in their home is a great thing. I am proud of the way Bangladesh played. Hopefully, they will do better in the future.

Dhaka Post: What do you want to add new to the current Bangladesh team?

Jamie Siddons: I actually want to go to Bangladesh first. Besides, I need to know the position on which they recruited me. Then I will be able to decide the need or demand in that specific sector.

Dhaka Post: Do you think Bangladesh should look forward beyond the four senior cricketers aged over 30?

Jamie Siddons: I think a lot depends on their age. But they still have a lot to give to their nation. Especially, Shakib Al Hasan, who is still the best all-rounder in the world. You can never keep him out. Bangladesh needs him in the next T20 or ODI World Cup. I am hopeful of every senior player, but everything depends on their fitness and how they want to play. If all goes well, they will play for the national team. 

Dhaka Post: Shakib is not playing regularly, does it affect the performance of the national team?

Jamie Siddons: Maybe. But I think he missed a lot of matches due to injury.

Dhaka Post: The T20 World Cup is scheduled to kick off Australia this year. In which sector does Bangladesh need to improve for the upcoming T20 World Cup?

Jamie Siddons: I think they need to prepare themselves for the bouncy wicket. If you want to score big runs, compete with big teams in the World Cup, then you have to learn to hit boundaries and know how to do well on bouncy wickets. 

Dhaka Post: Have you talked with the current coaching staff of Bangladesh?

Jamie Siddons: No, not yet. After returning to Bangladesh, I will share my thoughts with them.

Dhaka Post: Good luck for your next chapter in Bangladesh.

Jamie Siddons: Thank you. Hope to see you in Bangladesh soon.

ARR