Sports

Bangladesh Coach Focuses on Players’ Adaptation to Abu Dhabi Conditions Ahead of Afghanistan Test

By Atif Azam

Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons said on Wednesday, October 7, that the team’s main concern is how the players returning from Japan’s Asian Games will adjust to the conditions in Abu Dhabi for the one‑off Test against Afghanistan scheduled for October 9. The squad that arrived from Japan a few days earlier completed their first practice session in the UAE’s heat and appeared to be struggling to adapt, having come from a cooler climate. In Japan, rain had kept the team largely in their hotel, limiting preparation. Simmons said the adjustment would be more mental than physical. "Well, that's the only issue right now (how they adjust in the UAE coming from Asian Games) as the guys who came from Japan and are not doing much there and then having to come in this weather," he said. "Two days in this weather and it's how they adjust, because it's a mental thing at the end of the day, and it's how they adjust," he added. "And today they look good for their first day in the heat and I'm sure they will adjust themselves properly," Simmons said. He also spoke about the wicket in Abu Dhabi, expecting it to be good but possibly slow, which could pose a challenge against Afghanistan’s versatile spin attack. "I'm looking at the wicket and the wicket looks good. It looks like it can be a little bit slow but it looks to be a good wicket," he said. "So, we're preparing for a good wicket and we know that we're going to have to come up against a number of spinners and so we're preparing for all that," Simmons added. He praised the team’s preparation and expressed optimism for the upcoming match.