Bangladesh’s new team consultant Gary Kirsten has the task of finalising the choice of their head coach at the top of his new to-do list.

According to Nazmul Hassan (president of the BCB), Kirsten is currently assessing the board’s three shortlisted candidates in order to offer his verdict on who would best suit the needs of the Bangladesh men’s team.

Kirsten will report for active duty in Dhaka next week in the event that the Royal Challengers Bangalore fail to qualify for the IPL playoffs.

Hassan said that Kirsten, the RCB batting coach, ‘is making his observations about what kind of coach Bangladesh needs. He is speaking to me, the players and the coaching staff. We will match our list of coaches with his, after which we will finalise everything. It will be easier for us.

‘We felt that it is best to consult with an expert before deciding on a coach. You will get to know something important by this month. Kirsten wants to know what type of coach we are seeking. He has already started working for us,’ added Hassan.

According to Hassan, the new coach is almost certain to take the reins for next month’s West Indies tour, thus paving the way for Courtney Walsh to continue his work as interim head coach for the T20 series against Afghanistan.

‘It is impossible to have a head coach before the Afghanistan series, but we are hopeful that we will have appointed someone before the West Indies series. We nearly finalised someone but, in the last minute, he said that his family wasn’t agreeing with the move. So we cannot say anything until someone is here,’ said Hassan.

The coaching role has already been turned down by Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Tom Moody, Geoff Marsh, Andy Flower and Paul Farbrace.

Photo by Will Russell – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images)