Domingo urges Bangladesh to be patient against spin-reliant Afghanistan

“I have seen guys working unbelievably hard in the last two weeks. I have been pleased with their energy, attitude and work ethics,” Domingo told reporters in Chittagong, ahead of the game at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.

“We have to focus on our processes and on being patient. We have to build pressure against Afghanistan. If we can do those things, results will come our way.”

Domingo, who formerly coached South Africa, bagged the role of head coach for Bangladesh last month, replacing Steve Rhodes on a two-year contract.

"It is going to be my first Test for Bangladesh,” Domingo said. “I want to see how they perform. And it is difficult to make wholesale changes to a system that has worked really well for them in the last couple of Tests.

"Nobody plays to lose. It would be great to start with a win. We have to focus on our process, we have to focus hard on being patient and bowling in partnerships against Afghanistan.”

"I am sitting back to see how things pan out for the first Test. The selectors and Shakib [Al Hasan, the captain] have led me to thinking in a certain way, and I am pretty comfortable with it before I imprint my way on to the team."

Bangladesh’s opponents, Afghanistan, are one of the two newest entrants in Test cricket. They have played two Tests since formally being inducted into the long format by the ICC in June 2017 . Their debut, against India, resulted in defeat by an innings and 262 runs, before they clinched an seven-wicket win in their next game, against fellow Test newcomers Ireland, earlier this year.

Domingo is wary of the impending spin challenge from the Afghanistan camp; along with Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi, their regulars in all formats, the side also includes chinaman bowler Zahir Khan. The 20-year-old, yet to feature in Test cricket, took a five-wicket haul in Afghanistan’s practice game against a BCB XI earlier this week.

"Their spinners are very threatening. We have seen in shorter format how dangerous they can be. It's definitely a different format, but they will definitely be threatening. They have got some match-winners, like Nabi and others.

“Rashid is a fantastic bowler. We need to make sure that we respect them while also scoring some against them because it's really important to put the pressure on their pace bowlers."