Sanjay Bangar declines BCB's offer to join as Test batting consultant

Former India international Sanjay Bangar has opted against taking up Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB)'s offer to join them as a Test batting consultant owing to both personal and professional commitments. Bangar, who also served a period of five years as India's batting coach was previously offered the job by the BCB eight weeks ago, which he decided against as well.

Citing his 2-year contract at the time with Star Sports in particular, Bangar said,

“They (BCB) offered me the position eight weeks ago. But in the interim, I finalised my contract with Star (Sports) which gave me the opportunity to balance out my personal and professional commitments. However, I look forward to working with BCB in the future.”

Earlier on Wednesday, BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury commented on the matter in Dhaka, prior to Bangar's decision.

“We have spoken with Bangar (for Test batting consultant) but nothing is finalised yet,”

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He added that former South African batsman Neil McKenzie, who currently oversees batting in the shorter formats, would be expected to fill in for the role in question as well.

“We are negotiating with a few others as well. (Neil) McKenzie is looking after the red-ball cricket despite being a white ball consultant and till we get a batting consultant for Test cricket we are expecting him to do the job (in red ball).”

After three years as a player with India between 2001 and 2004, Bangar served as the batting coach between the years 2014 and 2019. Another former India international Vikram Rathour was chosen as his replacement after the BCCI's decision to not renew terms with Bangar.

He was part of the 2019 World Cup and the West Indies tour which followed the mega event. The latter, though, was Bangar's last assignment as the batting coach of India as has since rejected BCB's offer on two separate occasions.