West Indies batting coach Floyd Reifer has called on his side to maintain their focus as they head into the series-deciding second Test against Bangladesh. With a 1-0 lead following their impressive eight-wicket victory in the opening match in Dhaka, the visitors are aiming to finish their current ICC World Test Championship cycle on a high note at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium starting November 5. “I thought the batting performance was brilliant.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, November 3, Reifer stressed that despite the momentum from their recent win, the squad must treat the upcoming match as a clean slate. He emphasized that the team needs to replicate the processes that led to their success in the first Test, particularly regarding how they initiate and manage their innings. “It is important that we be consistent and we pick performances. Yes, we played well in Dhaka, but it is important that we come here and play well again. This next game starts from zero,” Reifer stated.
Reflecting on the batting display in Dhaka, Reifer expressed satisfaction with how the players handled spin bowling and maintained a solid defensive game while rotating the strike effectively. He highlighted the team’s ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities, noting that during the successful chase of 172 runs, the batsmen were disciplined in choosing when to attack. He reiterated that understanding when to remain in control of the innings and when to push forward remains a critical tactical objective for the group. Understanding when we’re in control of the innings and building on it,” he said, we still have to go through all the processes that we went through in terms of how we started the innings and how we built the innings. In the second innings, we took our boundary options while chasing down those 172 runs,” he said, as you can see. We were confident in our defence and we rotated the strike very well.
A key focus for the coach has been the flourishing partnership between openers John Campbell and Brandon King. The pair has already secured three century stands and passed the 50-run mark together on six occasions. Reifer attributed this success to their strong mutual understanding and the synergy they demonstrate while at the crease. The duo have so far put together three century partnerships and added more than 50 runs on six occasions.
“Those guys know each other’s game, and that’s important,” Reifer noted. He explained that both are attacking players who balance their aggressive shots with sound defense, allowing them to effectively feed off each other’s energy. By maintaining productive communication and staying aligned in their approach, the duo has become a vital component of the team’s batting lineup. As the squad prepares for the final showdown in Sylhet, Reifer is looking for the players to uphold these high standards to secure a series sweep.
