Former coach says Bangladesh's best asset is now its quicks, not its spinners

Former Bangladesh pace bowling coach Shaun Tait says he could not be prouder of the fast bowlers he helped nurture, even as they shine against his own country in Australia. In an exclusive interview with Cricbuzz, the ex-Australian quick said the touring pace unit's performance in the opening Test is proof that Bangladesh's strength has decisively shifted.

"I'm very proud of them, I must say. I'm very happy. Even though they're playing against my home country, I'm just so pleased to watch them do well," Tait said.

Depth that survives injuries

Bangladesh are without Nahid Rana on tour, but Tait pointed to the depth he always believed existed in the group. "I think we spoke about it as I said to you that there's some great depth there. Even if there's a couple of injuries, there are other guys to come in and stand up," he recalled. "And I truly believe all the fast bowlers, they can all play all three formats. I think all of them are very versatile bowlers and I think that's a massive thing for Bangladesh. I think they've done really well and I think there's a number of years to come where they're going to thrive."

Hasan Mahmud's calm craft

Tait reserved particular praise for Hasan Mahmud, who has returned from an elbow complaint and a stint at Kent in English county cricket. "He's come back from injury as well. Recently he had an elbow complaint and so I think he's done really well to come back from that injury. The medical staff have obviously done a good job with him," Tait said, adding that the county exposure was vital for confidence.

Describing Mahmud as "extremely calm, very mild-mannered, nice person... not the typical fast bowler, aggressive," Tait said the seamer's intelligence sets him apart. "He's an intelligent guy. He thinks about his cricket really well... He's a very level-minded person."

Rather than trying to bowl express pace he does not possess, Mahmud has leaned on accuracy and variations. "He knows he cannot bowl 150-plus as he doesn't have that much pace so he knows that he has to work out on his variations," Tait noted. "I'm looking at this Test match, he's just bowling really boring which is exactly what you need to do in Test cricket... The best bowlers in Test cricket do that. They just bowl a really good length all day long and I think he's been able to be really consistent."

Bowling fuller, not shorter

One of the clearest signs of progress, Tait said, is the willingness to pitch the ball up overseas rather than fall back on short-pitched bowling. "100%. You're exactly right there. 100%. That's a big thing. If you're pitching the ball up in Test cricket, any form of cricket... we used to talk about this with them when I was there, and I think they've continued that even since I've left."

He urged the same approach for the tour of South Africa later this year and even in the subcontinent: "Pitch the ball up there, bowl a little bit, almost to the point where you're bowling a little bit too full, it's better than bowling too short... I still think the mindset, even in Bangladesh, even in India, even in Pakistan, you can still pitch the ball up. That's a good starting point."

Strength is now fast bowling

Tait was unequivocal about where Bangladesh's advantage lies. "I said this before it just takes Bangladesh cricket to understand that their strength right now is fast bowling. That's definitely the case and I believe Bangladesh's strength at the moment in their cricket is fast bowling," he said, noting that improved home surfaces have helped. "They started producing better, better pitches at home in Bangladesh for the fast bowlers, and they got some really good results, even in white-ball cricket."

The challenge now, he warned, is to back it up in the second Test. "They've got to finish off this Test match really strong, hopefully, and then the second Test match against Australia is going to be another challenge."

Keep it simple

Asked about his coaching philosophy, Tait stressed simplicity and a happy environment over overload. "The best bowlers of all time... one thing they all do is bowl really consistent, and like you said keep it simple," he said. "A lot of my conversations with Nahid Rana even over the last 12 months were just, just keep it simple. You bowl 150 kilometers an hour, you don't need to do much."

He was keen to redirect credit to the players. "I think sometimes too much credit goes to the coaches, and I think the coaches, as coaches we only guide them. I think at the end of the day the players really do deserve the credit."

As for his own future, Tait said leaving the full-time role was a family decision but did not rule out a return in a reduced capacity. "I could come back in some capacity but not as full-time with all three formats... More as a consultant? Oh, yeah, yeah, of course, of course I would definitely think, of course. Yes."