West Indies batting coach Floyd Reifer on Tuesday, November 3, called on his players to guard against complacency as the touring side prepare for the series-deciding second Test against Bangladesh at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, scheduled from November 5 to 9, 2026.
West Indies head into the Sylhet fixture on the back of an eight-wicket victory in Dhaka, which handed them a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. The series is part of the ICC World Test Championship cycle, and a win in Sylhet would
see West Indies beat Bangladesh on their own soil. Reifer was direct in his message ahead of the contest.
"It's important that we be consistent and we pick performances. Yes, we played well in Dhaka, but it's important that we come here and play well again. You know, this next game starts from zero," Reifer said, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
Why is Reifer stressing consistency after a dominant Dhaka win?
Despite the convincing nature of the Dhaka result, Reifer was keen to ensure his batters do not ease off their standards. He praised the batting unit's performance against spin in the first Test, highlighting their confident defence and sharp strike rotation, as well as their ability to identify and take boundary options while chasing down 172 runs in the second innings. He was equally clear that the processes which produced that performance must be repeated in Sylhet.
"I thought the batting performance was brilliant. I'm very pleased in terms of how the guys batted against spin. We were confident in our defence and we rotated the strike very well. As you can see, in the second innings, we took our boundary options while chasing down those 172 runs," Reifer said of the Dhaka display.
"You know, you have a first innings and a second innings in the game. 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, understanding when we're in control of the innings and building on it," he added.
How have Campbell and King performed as an opening pair in this series?
Openers John Campbell and Brandon King have been a significant source of strength for West Indies in the series. The pair have put together three century partnerships across their outings, and on six occasions they have added more than 50 runs together, providing the side with a solid platform at the top of the order. Reifer highlighted the understanding between the two players, noting that their knowledge of each other's game has been a key factor.
"Those guys (Campbell and King) know each other's game, and that's important. The synergy is good between them. Both of them are very attacking players, and they follow their defence as well, and they complement each other. As you saw in the last innings, when they were chasing down the 172, you could see that they fed off one another. It is good that they build partnerships, and the conversations that they have at the crease are great as well, considering all that goes into building a partnership. But the main thing is that the synergy is good between them," Reifer said.
