13 November 2025
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Kiely backs Tigers to beat UAE heat

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Banglapress Published: 23 September 2025, 10:25 AM
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Kiely backs Tigers to beat UAE heat
  Bangla Press Desk: Bangladesh strength and conditioning coach Nathan Kiely believes the national team will be physically primed to withstand the searing UAE heat when they head into the Asia Cup T20 in September, thanks to a well-structured training programme and improved athleticism across the squad. Speaking after an intense fitness session at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Kiely underlined that the Tigers are making notable gains despite a packed international calendar. “Absolutely, yeah,” he said when asked if his charges would be ready for the conditions in the Gulf. “Our boys worked extremely hard. If you saw some of the conditioning we did today, there were some really challenging drills. If you didn’t think they were challenging, I’d welcome you to come and do them with us one day—you’ll find out. Their attitude and their efforts are outstanding. They push themselves extremely hard,” he said.
“We’re collectively improving and getting better. The effort today was outstanding, and their attitude is fantastic. If we keep building on this, we’ll be in great shape to handle whatever the UAE throws at us,” he added. Kiely explained that one of Bangladesh’s unique challenges is the absence of a traditional off-season. “We play pretty much 12 months of the year. A lot of the more Western sides generally have an off-season. We don’t get that luxury here,” he said. That means there are no 15-week pre-season blocks like in England or Australia. Instead, the Tigers have to make do with “little small windows” between series. “Whenever we get a break in the competition schedule, it’s a good opportunity to do some physical work and some physical testing. We use the testing to understand what areas we need to emphasise in each player’s individual training,” Kiely noted. The recent 1,600-metre time trial and sprint tests at the National Stadium produced encouraging numbers. “We had 12 personal bests in the time trial, including an outstanding performance from Nahid, who ran it in 5 minutes and 31 seconds,” Kiely said. Strength testing also revealed significant progress. “Across all the tests we do, we had 56 personal bests. The playing group are improving a lot,” he added.
While the yo-yo and beep tests are popular in cricket, Kiely prefers the simplicity of a time trial. “It’s easy to deliver—you don’t need any equipment, and it can be done on any cricket ground. It’s also more accessible for our domestic players, and the results are clear. The clock doesn’t lie,” he said. From his experience, the players who excel in beep and yo-yo tests also perform well in time trials, so the assessment remains reliable for measuring fitness levels. For Kiely, the aim is not just to meet cricket-specific demands but to build general athleticism. “Being fast, being aerobically fit, being strong and powerful—those qualities carry over to any sport. You’ve only got to look at the top-tier cricket nations and you’ll see big, strong, powerful, fit athletes,” he explained. He added that more athletic cricketers have greater freedom in their game. “If you’re a batsman with more power, you have more options. If you’re quick between the wickets, you can push for extra runs. Athleticism also boosts fielding and helps maintain concentration for long batting spells or bowling long spells.”
The Australian stressed that the Tigers need no external push to work hard. “I don’t need to inspire them—they are all extremely motivated. They really buy into what we do, and their energy and enthusiasm for the physical work is fantastic,” he said. Even when individual players fall short in one area, they are often excelling in others. “Some might not get the best time-trial results, but they’ve set personal bests in the gym. It’s about knowing their strengths and what they need to work on,” he explained. The coach also pointed to the need for continued development in Bangladesh’s fitness infrastructure. “At the moment we have three highly qualified strength and conditioning coaches employed by the BCB. Compare that to England or Australia, where there are 20 or 30. We’ve got lots of passionate local trainers, and part of my role is helping them build their skills,” he concluded. This article was originally published on Daily Sun.
[Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.]B P/SP
 
[Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.]

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