Confident of taking 20 wickets: Domingo

Bangladesh head coach Russell Domingo said that he was confident of taking 20 wickets in their first Test against Sri Lanka, starting on Sunday.

Bangladesh had a good series bowling-wise in South Africa as they took 36 out of the 40 available wickets. But the Tigers were let down by the batting as they were bowled out for less than 100 twice.

Such a performance in South Africa from the bowlers has made Domingo confident, and while he believes they need to do better with the bat, he is assured of taking 20 Sri Lankan wickets in the upcoming match.

“I just told the bowlers this morning that we got 36 wickets in two Tests in South Africa. I don’t think Bangladesh has got that many wickets (in a series). We are confident that we can take 20 wickets. We need to have five bowling options,” he said in a press conference on Friday.

About the batting, Domingo said, “It is all about sticking to a game plan. I think the important thing is to try to get singles to get off strike. Whether that means we are using the paddle, using your feet or going deep in the crease. Maybe we are just blocking and looking for the four-ball a bit much.”

Bangladesh struggled against the South African spin duo of Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer, who took 29 wickets combined in that series.

Domingo believes Bangladesh batsmen will not face that situation in the Sri Lanka series as it was the bounce in South African pitches which troubled them.

“They (Bangladesh batsmen) don’t struggle against left-arm spin, but they struggle against bounce that spinners away from Bangladesh get. Generally, the wickets stay down in Bangladesh, so they get lbw and bowled. In foreign conditions the ball spins and maybe get bat-pads and caught in the slips. That’s the difference,” he said.