Bangladesh Confirm Coaching Roles Ahead of South Africa Cricket Tour
Bangladesh have finalised key parts of their coaching plan for the upcoming South Africa tour, with newly appointed assistant coach Malibongwe Maketa set to take charge of the national team’s fielding work. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed the move on Monday, as the side prepares for a demanding schedule across Test, one-day international and T20 cricket.
Maketa will assume the fielding responsibilities previously handled by interim coach Ashiqur Rahman. The change gives the South African coach a prominent role on familiar ground, where his experience and understanding of local conditions could prove useful as Bangladesh seek to sharpen their work in the field.
Maketa to lead Bangladesh’s fielding preparation
A BCB official confirmed that Maketa would oversee the fielding unit during the tour. Rahman, who stepped into the role during Bangladesh’s Pakistan tour, is expected to move to the Bangladesh A setup instead. He will assist the development squad as it prepares for the Rising Stars Emerging Cup in Qatar.
Rahman had joined the senior team after James Pamment was unable to continue because of back pain. The BCB and Pamment later ended their working relationship by mutual agreement, leaving the board to arrange interim cover. Rahman’s move to Bangladesh A will allow him to remain involved in the national programme while Maketa takes on the senior team’s fielding duties.
Fielding could be an important factor in South Africa, where quick pitches and fast outfields can make small errors especially costly. Clean catching, sharp ground fielding and accurate throwing will matter across all three formats. For Bangladesh, stronger execution in these areas may help create pressure on opponents and support the bowlers, particularly in the longer Test matches.
Dale Benkenstein joins as batting specialist
Bangladesh will also have specialist batting support on tour. Former South African all-rounder Dale Benkenstein is set to work with the team as a batting specialist throughout the three-format assignment, the BCB said in a statement.
Benkenstein’s appointment gives the squad access to a coach familiar with South African cricket and its conditions. His input may be valuable as Bangladesh’s batters prepare for the bounce and pace they are likely to encounter, especially in the Tests. Adjusting to the ball coming through at a different height and speed can require changes in footwork, shot selection and patience at the crease.
The batting appointment is particularly significant because Bangladesh have yet to name a permanent batting coach following Mohammad Ashraful’s removal from the position. The BCB is understood to be considering options and hopes to appoint someone before the South Africa series begins. Until then, Benkenstein’s tour role will provide specialist guidance during an important stretch of the international calendar.
Coaching changes across the national programme
Ashraful is expected to join the Bangladesh A team’s coaching setup, while Mohammad Salahuddin will return to the High Performance Unit as its head coach. Salahuddin had worked with the senior side on an interim basis and took charge for the recent home series against the West Indies after replacing Ashraful.
His return to the High Performance Unit will allow him to focus on the development of emerging players. The unit plays a central role in preparing cricketers for international competition, helping them build technical skills, match awareness and the physical demands needed at the highest level. The coaching reshuffle therefore affects not only the senior squad but also the pathway supporting Bangladesh’s next generation.
For the BCB, balancing immediate performance needs with long-term player development is an ongoing challenge. The South Africa tour will test the senior team in unfamiliar conditions, while the Bangladesh A assignment in Qatar offers another opportunity for developing players and coaches to gain competitive experience.
Tour schedule and conditions to watch
Bangladesh are scheduled to depart for South Africa on November 10 and 11. The opening Test is due to begin in Johannesburg on November 15, with the second Test set to start in Centurion on November 23. The Test series will be followed by three ODIs and three T20Is, giving the visitors a busy programme and limited time to adapt between formats.
The sequence will demand careful planning from the coaching group. Test cricket requires concentration over long periods and disciplined batting, while the limited-overs matches place greater emphasis on tempo, flexibility and quick decision-making. Preparation will need to account for those different demands, as well as the conditions at each venue.
Bangladesh’s coaching appointments offer several points of interest for fans following the tour. Maketa’s fielding oversight, Benkenstein’s batting expertise and the return of Salahuddin to the High Performance Unit each address a different part of the team’s wider structure. The BCB’s search for a permanent batting coach remains unfinished, but the incoming support staff will have a short window to help the squad prepare.
As the tour approaches, supporters and analysts will be looking for signs of how the changes translate into performance. Any prediction about Bangladesh’s prospects must account for the challenge of playing in South Africa, the strength of the opposition and the team’s ability to adapt quickly. Better fielding and a more assured batting approach could be crucial, but the results will ultimately depend on how effectively the players apply their preparation across the full series.
