Bangladesh keen to hire Sanjay Bangar as Test batting consultant

Former India opener Sanjay Bangar might have lost his job in his country’s national coaching set-up but his reputation has not remained restricted. According to reports, the Bangladesh Cricket Board is looking to rope in the 47-year-old as the batting consultant of its national team, particularly in the longer format. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is in fact hopeful of availing the services of Bangar ahead of the two-match Test series against Australia at home this June.

The Bangladesh board was trying to convince former South Africa batsman Neil McKenzie, who is currently working as a consultant for Bangladesh’s white-ball teams, to take care of the Test team as well but the latter is understood to be not too keen on coaching in all formats on a regular basis.

“We have spoken with Bangar [for Test batting consultant] but nothing is finalized yet,” BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury told reporters on Wednesday. “We are also negotiating with few others as well.”

“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 added.

Bangladesh have not tasted big success in Test cricket and are languishing at the bottom of the points table in the ICC World Test Championship with no win in three matches.

India replaced Sanjay Bangar with Vikram Rathour last year

Bangar, who played for India between 2001 and 2004, served as Team India batting coach between 2014 and 2019 and was replaced by another former India opener Vikram Rathour after the conclusion of the 50-over World Cup last year. He was also India’s interim head coach on the tour of Zimbabwe in 2016 and the tour of West Indies the next year.

According to BCB’s inside sources, Bangar is expected to get a contract for 110 days between June 2020 and February 2021, if things work out well between the Bangladesh board and him.

If Bangar gets the contract, he will be succeeding Sunil Joshi as a coach from India to take care of the Bangladesh national team. India’s current chief selector Sunil Joshi was Bangladesh’s spin-bowling consultant between 2017 and the 2019 World Cup.