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Phil Simmons has arrived in Dhaka to take the helm of the Bangladesh cricket team as its interim head coach ahead of the two-match Test series against South Africa.
The former West Indies all-rounder reached the capital a day after Bangladesh Cricket Board President Faruk Ahmed announced his appointment at a press conference on Tuesday, reports bdnews24.com.
Simmons steps into the role following the dismissal of Chandika Hathurusingha, who faced allegations of physically assaulting a national cricketer and misconduct.
Simmons, who had expressed interest in coaching Bangladesh back in 2017 after Hathurusingha's resignation, had even given a presentation to the BCB at the time.
After being overlooked for the role seven years ago, he has now been tasked with leading the team.
At the press conference, Faruk said that after considering several candidates, Simmons was deemed the most suitable for the job, emphasising his dedication and work ethic.
Simmons has been appointed on a short-term contract, with his tenure starting with the Test series against South Africa and extending through to the Champions Trophy in February-March.
He is familiar with Bangladesh, having visited the country as a player and later as a coach for Ireland and the West Indies.
Since retiring as a player in 2002, the former all-rounder, who played 26 Tests and 143 ODIs for the West Indies, has embarked on a diverse coaching career.
He began coaching at an academy in Harare shortly after retirement, later becoming Zimbabwe's national team coach. In 2007, he was appointed as Ireland's coach, holding the position until 2015 before taking over as the head coach of the West Indies, where he led the team to their second T20 World Cup victory.
He also served as Afghanistan’s batting coach and head coach in 2017 before returning to coach the West Indies until the 2022 T20 World Cup.