Former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq will remain as Pakistan’s temporary head coach for another 12 months, while former Australia fast bowler Shaun Tait has been selected as the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) fast bowling coach for the same period. Saqlain’s future with the squad was cast into doubt as he quit as head coach of international player development at the High-Performance Centre, and his interim appointment as national team head coach came to an end with the visit to Bangladesh.
In the meanwhile, former Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf has been appointed as batting coach for the Australia series, which begins on March 4 in Rawalpindi.
Following the departure of Misbah-ul-Haq and Waqar Younis in September last year, Saqlain and Abdul Razzaq were named temporary coaches.
In December of last year, the PCB issued an advertisement for five coaching vacancies in national high performance, batting, bowling, power-hitting, and fielding, with an application deadline of late January. For the time being, Tait is the only one who has accepted the role; other selections were made based on internal arrangements.
Rather than appointing new coaches based on the advertising, the PCB elevated temporary coaches from the high-performance centre to the national set-up. According to ESPNcricinfo, at least 12 people applied for the different coaching positions, but only those who applied for the position of bowling coach were selected and interviewed, and Tait was chosen.
Many changes have occurred in the PCB setup after Ramiz Raja’s appointment as chairman, beginning with Misbah and Waqar’s departures ahead of the home series against New Zealand. Saqlain was elevated to head coach from his position as head of foreign players development at the high-performance centre in Lahore at the time, however, his stint ended with the Bangladesh trip in December.
Following the tour, Saqlain had offered his resignation, but Ramiz encouraged him to stay on for another year, despite the fact that he had at least eight tasks ahead of him, including the T20 World Cup and Asia Cup. The power-hitting coach role has yet to be filled.
Pakistan’s player support personnel: Mansoor Rana (manager), Saqlain Mushtaq (head coach), Shahid Aslam (assistant to head coach), Mohammad Yousuf (batting coach), Shaun Tait (bowling coach), Cliffe Deacon (physiotherapist), Drikus Saaiman (trainer/strength and conditioning coach), Abdul Majeed (fielding coach)
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