Daily Times

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) last week finally let the cat out of the bag when it named Mickey Arthur of South Africa as new head coach of the Pakistan cricket team. Arthur succeeded former Test captain Waqar Younis who resigned from the post last month after Pakistan’s disastrous Asia Cup and ICC World Twenty20 campaigns in Bangladesh and India. After days of deliberations and speculations, Arthur, the third and the only choice, was appointed head coach only when former England coach Peter Moores and Australian Stuart Law declined the PCB offer. Coaching Pakistan, traditionally a fractious bunch of talented individuals, is one of the toughest jobs in international cricket. The job is further complicated by the relatively low pay and Pakistan’s security issues, while attempts to build relationships with volatile national players are often hampered by its high turnover. Pakistan has had four foreign coaches in the past: Richard Pybus (two tenures in 1999 and 2002-03), Bob Woolmer (2004-07), Geoff Lawson (2007-2008) and Dav Whatmore (2012-14). Waqar’s tenure was marred by his differences with Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi and indisciplined players Ahmad Shahzad and Umar Akmal.

It is interesting that many former cricketers and even selected media personnel have flayed the PCB for bringing in the foreign coach. This harsh criticism shows many things: we have our own axe to grind, we follow our own petty agendas, and above all, we don’t have any patience. In fact there is a lack of patience in the whole Pakistani society and it reflects also in cricket, considered a religion in this part of the world. It is imperative to understand that a foreign coach is not the problem. The problems in Pakistan cricket are its eccentric, egoistic, self-centered, indisciplined and highly immature and unprofessional players, who ‘play’ with the country with impunity, and the impotent PCB, which is always scared to take strong remedial steps.

No doubt, a coach always plays a major role in a team’s development. Cricket coaching in the world has changed tremendously over the years. But in Pakistan we love to live in the past. Building a strong team is not an overnight process and it takes years to put together a balanced side keeping in view the modern approach to competitive international cricket, and the exacting scientific preparations that the international teams now favour. The standard of the game is changing so rapidly that the gap between the best and the second in line has narrowed considerably. In other countries, the people running the cricket affairs contribute by taking professional decisions and by executing them with competence rather than on the basis of personal preference and bias. But, frankly, we are not such a nation. What is more the statements given by our former players in the national media aim at to make people believe that the sport has gone to the dogs, and that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. It is ironic these very former players, who once did the country proud by excelling on the field, have been instrumental in blotting the game by either indulging in needless ego tussles or resorting to selfish gains at the game’s expense. We must understand that Pakistani coaches don’t have the required knowledge of the modern game. They can not inculcate spirit and enable players to discover and enhance their strong areas. Foreign coaching staff is must as our coaches cannot match the qualified ones. Outdated and dictatorial coaching methods can not take Pakistan forward.

It has become imperative that rationally thinking, smart head coach take charge of Pakistan to turn around things. And Arthur is the right choice under the present circumstances. He should be given time and authority to improve things in Pakistan cricket. Arthur’s first task will be to prepare his team for their upcoming England tour and he is also faced with the difficult task of lifting his players from their lowest-ever world ranking of ninth in one-day cricket. Since 2009, every coach has dealt with a lack of cricket at home, a hugely debilitating factor. For Arthur to succeed, we must support and express our faith in the new coach as he has an outstanding coaching record and led South Africa to world number one rankings across all formats. The constant media glare and extreme reactions to both victories and defeats is a sub-continental trait that isn’t easy for someone unaccustomed to such histrionics. Arthur should be allowed to adjust in volatile Pakistan environment. It is hoped that Arthur would be able to help Pakistan cricketers recognise their strengths so that they would be able to apply them at critical stages of match to transform themselves into thinking and text-book cricketers.