Pybus - it's going to be a challenge.
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Pybus - it's going to be a challenge.
Pybus: I’ll build a team, not coddle star egos
2012-06-16 05:04:07New Bangladesh coach Richard Pybus says he is looking forward to building the side into a genuine Test threat, and while he wants to unearth some talent, he is keen to avoid promoting star egos
Pybus - it's going to be a challenge.
Pybus was unveiled as the Tigers’ new mentor on Monday, filling the post vacated by Stuart Law in April. His previous posts saw him coaching the Titans and Cape Cobras in South Africa, and the Pakistan national team.
When asked why he took the Tigers job, Pybus said: “Part of it is the challenge of working with a young group of players and helping them develop, and identifying the key behind building a multi-format team.
“There’s no magic wand here as a coach. It is about the desire, passion and skill level of the players. You need a core group of players, like in other countries. You need six to eight fast bowlers to fight for spots.
“There’ll be no shortage of young spinners in Bangladesh because of the conditions, but out of all those spinners you need world-class spinners.
“When I talk of talent, I take it as a given anywhere around the world. It [coaching] is about maximising the talent.”
Maximising talent doesn’t mean making stars, and Pybus stressed the importance of building a team and avoiding an ego-driven environment. This, despite having the best ODI all-rounder in the world in Shakib Al Hasan to call on.
He said: “If you’ve got stars, you don’t have a team. I think the goal is to have a very strong team, where the players are playing for each other.
“It is important to leave our egos to one side and play for the badge and the country, making that the commitment. From my coaching experience, when you have a ‘star’ system, you’ve got problems.”
Bangladesh’s immediate future is filled with T20 matches, from a tour to Zimbabwe to a trip to Europe, followed by the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka in September.
But Pybus, like most cricket aficionados, is eager to improve the side’s Test fortunes and make sure they’re not seen as minnows when playing against established sides.
He opined: “Test cricket is really the tree that grows your players. I am looking forward to playing stronger nations in Tests, that’s the bottom line.
“As we work through the cricketing schedule, we’ll make sure that we are doing everything in our power to be fully prepared [for Test cricket].”
The Tigers will play their first Test in 11 months in November, when they take on the West Indies.