New Bangladesh coach Steve Rhodes spoke to the press on Wednesday ahead of his first training session as the coach of the Bangladesh cricket team. Rhodes took over the role of the Tigers only two weeks ago and admitted that everything is relatively new to him.

Rhodes, who was the Director of Cricket at Worcestershire between 2006 and 2017, revealed that while he didn’t know much about the players, he did some homework on them via videos and is slowly and steadily getting to know them as he looks to improve the team.

"Everything is new, as you would expect. I don't know too much about the players but I have been busy at home checking on the internet regularly, seeing how they play, looking at them on YouTube, getting to know some faces.

“All a bit of a rush to be honest. But I am sure now that we are on the eve of going to the Caribbean - to be honest - I am looking forward to help and support the team and try and improve them as cricketers.”

He then spoke about Shannon Gabriel, who was a player he had signed during his time as the Director of Cricket, and praised the West Indian over his wonderful purple patch as he took 13 wickets against Sri Lanka in the second Test. He, however, added his believe that Bangladesh have the batters to cope up.

'He [Shannon Gabriel] is playing well. You can't take away anything from what Shannon Gabriel has done. I know him quite well. He was a player I signed when I was with Worcestershire in the English county.

“He is bowling very well. So we have to prepare for him and hence the reason why we will be practicing the way we were [trying to imitate West Indian conditions] for the next three days. We have got some good batter as well [who] should cope up.”

When he was asked about the areas needed to be strengthened for the team, he joked that it was too much of a question to answer for someone who was yet to take a training session with the team before adding that his first task is to observe and getting to know the players and then making them play their best possible cricket “as a team”.

He also, however, added that he will need some time.

"You have asked quite a few questions for a guy who is about to take his first practice sessions [laughs]. I need to observe. I need to look at the players. I have some ideas, speaking to some of the other guys, but I don't want my judgment swayed in any way by those people. I need to observe the situation.

“But I certainly believe that if you can make Bangladesh play as a team, I think thats going to be a really strong point for Bangladesh cricket. We can be so much stronger if we can play well as a team.

“But I need to get to know the players and staff a little bit, so bear with me.”

He then spoke about injured pacer Mustafizur Rahman, adding that while it is a big blow to lose him, this is also a great chance for the other pacers to come forward and prove themselves.

"Losing Mustafizur is a blow. He is a wonderful cricketer, a wonderful bowler. [But] The four quicks that are going... what a wonderful opportunity it is for them! If they can put together spells of bowling and bowling partnerships that equals or betters the West Indian quicks... then what a challenge that is for them!