London: Bangladesh's batting consultant Craig McMillan has said that his first aim would be to develop a relationship with the players rather than talking to them about their technique.
McMillan was appointed as Bangladesh's batting consultant last week for the upcoming three-match Test series against Sri Lanka.
"One of the first things that I have to do is develop a relationship with the players. I am really looking forward to doing that. I know a few players through New Zealand playing against Bangladesh but not that well. I certainly won't be coming in and changing any techniques. It won't be the first thing I do. It will be more about just adding little things to their game plans, and adding those things that will bring success," McMillan said.
"I certainly believe that quality Test match batting is about having a solid defence first and foremost, one that you trust and believe in, and then the ability to make good decisions for a long period of time. So if you can do that, you can get in the battle with the bowler and playing the right shots at the right time is key to being successful in Test match cricket," he added.
McMillan would be joining Bangladesh's think tank next month ahead of the Test series against Sri Lanka. He had also served as New Zealand's batting coach for five years until the 2019 World Cup.
"I think it's an excellent idea by the BCB to have a good three-week preparation getting into that first Test match. So much downtime and not a lot of cricket being played in the last six or seven months, I think the preparation is going to be important heading into the Sri Lanka series," McMillan said.
The former Kiwi all-rounder revealed that it was Bangladesh coach Russell Domingo who got him on-board as the batting consultant.
"It caught me a little bit by surprise. I got a call from Russell Domingo, and after I had a week to think about it, I was excited by and looking forward to the challenge. It was one of those things that I wasn't expecting throughout these times. There isn't a lot of cricket being played at the moment but once the opportunity came, I decided to take it. I am really excited to be working with the team and coaching staff," McMillan said.
"I am not looking any further than the Sri Lanka tour, to be honest. I am really looking forward to working with the players, finding out what makes them tick, and developing relationships with them. I think it will be key," he concluded.
