NZ vs BAN: Russell Domingo bullish on big performances from young players

Bangladesh have never won a series in New Zealand before, but head coach Russell Domingo is upbeat about the team’s chances in the three-match long ODI series starting on March 20.

Domingo has the experience of leading successful sides on the tour of New Zeland when he was coaching the South African team during the tours of 2015 and 2017, and he is eager to put all his lessons behind the Bangladesh side to stage a grand upset against the hosts.

"It is a great opportunity for us to do something that no Bangladeshi side has done before. We are all excited by it. It is my first tour to New Zealand with Bangladesh. I have been here previously with South Africa. I know it's a tough place to tour, but it is a great opportunity for some of these younger players,” Domingo said.

Domingo has his eyes on the ODI World Cup scheduled to be played in India in 2023 and wants his team to start their preparations with big performances against New Zealand who are considered invincible at home.

“There's a World Cup three years away and New Zealand is one of the top sides in the world. If you want to be serious contenders in India, you have to put in big performances in a series like this,” Domingo added.

Domingo pointed out that the 50-over format is Bangladesh’s best suit and the emergence of some impressive pacers such as Taskin Ahmed and Hasan Mahmud along with experienced players who have had great success in the format can provide the tourists with an edge that other Bangladesh sides missed on the tour of New Zealand.

"I think the 50-over format is our strongest format at the moment. If you look at the team's performance in the World Cup and if you look at the averages of the players, we have some good numbers in one-day cricket,” Domingo asserted.

"I think we have some good young fast bowlers who are coming through that maybe New Zealand haven't seen before. They maybe weren't expecting to see. We have got some good potential, guys like Hasan Mahmud and Taskin Ahmed are bowling nicely. We are excited about some of our fast bowlers."

Domingo’s confidence cannot be ruled out completely as the hosts will be depleted in the first game of a three-match series. New Zealand will miss the dependable pair of Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor in the first ODI of the series, and Domingo sees opportunity in the hosts’ loss.

"It is a bit of a boost for us, not having (Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor) in the first game in particular. But we know that new players are always keen to establish themselves, so they will be highly motivated to do well," Domingo said.

Bangladesh are not ruling out the role of spinners and they are banking on the ‘experience and knowledge of their spin bowling coach Daniel Vettori. Domingo pointed out that the presence of Vettori in the camp provides spinners with an opportunity to learn bowling on pitches in New Zealand which subsequent will give them an advantage that other Bangladesh sides touring did not have.

"It is great to have Daniel (Vettori). He has been working with us for the last one year. He has been in and out of Bangladesh. We haven't seen him for a while because of Covid but it is great to have his knowledge and experience here, not just about the venues but some of the players too. He has connected with some of our bowlers and batters. We know what an important a batter Dan was for New Zealand. He has given us fresh energy and dimension that maybe we didn't have in the past,” Domingo spoke about Vettori.

Earlier, Vettori had said that spin bowling forms an essential part of white-ball cricket and that Bangladesh spinners can come out with flying colours against New Zealand batsmen in the upcoming ODI and T20I series. 

He backed his claims based on the bowling numbers of Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner who have tasted success on their home soil and backed off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz to take a leaf out of the Kiwi duo to pose a serious challenge to batsmen in the company of Mahedi Hasan and Nasum Ahmed.