DHAKA, May 6, 2026 (BSS) — Bangladesh head coach Phil Simmons was bullish about his side’s preparation and mindset ahead of the upcoming Test series against Pakistan, stressing the importance of consistency, adaptability and mental strength.

Speaking to reporters today, the coach said the transition into the series would be more mental than technical, particularly for players who have been involved in red-ball cricket in recent months.

“It’s more of a mental shift, but at the same time there’s quite a few guys who haven’t played white-ball and have been working with the red ball for the last couple of months. So I think it would be an easier shift than you think,” Simmons said.

The series begins on Friday, with Bangladesh aiming to translate preparation into performance against a formidable Pakistan side.

The spotlight will also be on veteran batter Mushfiqur Rahim, who is set to play his first Test after reaching the milestone of 100 Test matches as first Bangladeshi batter. Simmons praised his consistency and approach to the game.

“Knowing Mushi for the short time I’ve known him, it’s going to be like Test one, like Test 50, like Test 100. He’s going to continue doing his preparation the way he believes in Test matches and look at 101 just as he looked at everything else,” he remarked.

Against a strong Pakistani pace attack, Simmons, a former West Indies great emphasized the need for discipline with the bat rather than relying on home conditions.

“I don’t know what you mean by home conditions. It’s going to be a good cricket pitch and we’ve got to put in place how we bat against them. If you want to be higher in the rankings, you have to play against top-class bowlers,” he added. 

“We know as a unit that we have to bat and bat long against them and try and get big scores. Everybody’s in that frame of mind that they want to get big scores now, which is a good thing,” he said.

The squad includes new additions such as Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Amite Hasan, with the coach confirming that the final XI is yet to be decided.

“It’s good to have young players come in. Tomorrow we sit and decide what the final 11 will be. So there’s always that chance that somebody could make their debut.”

Nahid Rana, comparatively a new pacer, in particular, has impressed the coaching staff with his maturity.

“The best thing about Nahid Rana is his sense of understanding where he is and what he has to do. For someone who has just come into the game, his mentality is highly intelligent,” Simmons said.

However, Simmons stressed the importance of managing Nahid’s workload carefully.

“We have to monitor him and make sure that we don’t overwork him. We don’t want to play him when he’s half fit. We want that pace, so we have to look after him,” he added.

Simmons also downplayed external expectations, suggesting that pressure largely comes from outside the dressing room.

“I think the expectation is more than 95 percent outside the dressing room. The public has more expectations than we have. We prepare and look forward to playing.”
 
The coach believes both teams are evenly matched, particularly in their bowling departments.

“I don’t think one team is in better shape. We have two good fast bowling units and two good spinning units. It’s about who grabs the important moments in each session.”

On spin bowling in less helpful conditions, he said the challenge is part of the team’s development.

“Challenging times mean you have to up your game. We want our spinners to perform on better wickets as well, especially when we go overseas.”