Former Pakistan Coach Waqar Younis speaking with PakPassion.net backed the appointment of Dav Whatmore as head coach of the Pakistan cricket team.

By Saj Sadiq (7th March, 2012)

Former Pakistan Coach Waqar Younis speaking with PakPassion.net backed the appointment of Dav Whatmore as head coach of the Pakistan cricket team. Younis resigned from the position on personal grounds last August and was subsequently replaced on an interim basis by former Pakistan batsman Mohsin Khan under whose supervision, the team attained series victories over Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and a Test series whitewash of England.

With the Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Zaka Ashraf preferring “professional” coaches at the helm, Whatmore was recommended to the Chairman by a committee comprising of Intikhab Alam, Zaheer Abbas, Rameez Raja and Naushad Ali and was subsequently hired on a 2 year contract and ultimately given the responsibility of taking Pakistan cricket forward.

Younis who took 789 wickets in an international career that spanned more than 13 years feels that Whatmore’s previous experience in the sub continent having coached Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will stand him in good stead, as he takes on one of the toughest jobs in world cricket.

“I think the appointment of Whatmore is a good decision by the Pakistan Cricket Board. Dav has done wonders previously and did really well in Sri Lanka in 1996 and then he worked with Bangladesh and led them to their first Test victory. Whatmore understands the culture too, he has a Sri Lankan background of course, yes I think he’s a good appointment and I hope he will do really well” stated Waqar.

Younis whose last series as head coach was the tour of Zimbabwe last September feels that the current group of Pakistani cricketers will be looking forward to working with Whatmore and will be very willing to put in the required hard work.

“Whatmore’s a strict guy, he’s a tough man. He likes to work really hard and as I said earlier he has done well with other Asian countries. It won’t be an easy ride for the players with Whatmore in charge, but the boys in the squad at the moment are willing to learn and put in the hard work. The players have done well over the past year and a half and worked very hard with me when I was the coach. I’m pretty sure the players will be up for it and looking forward to having the opportunity to work with Whatmore.”

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Sunday announced that they will be advertising the role of a bowling coach to assist Whatmore and fielding coach Julien Fountain. Waqar, however, has confirmed to PakPassion.net that he will not be interested in applying for the role.

“I left the role of head coach at the PCB due to personal reasons and I don’t see myself working as the bowling coach at this moment in time. No, I’m not really interested in the role at the moment.”

The predicament for the PCB will be whether to make another overseas appointment alongside two foreign coaches, or whether to make a “local” appointment to work alongside Whatmore and Fountain. Waqar is of the opinion that the decision of whoever gets the role of the bowling coach should be left to Whatmore.

“The PCB have got 2 guys in from overseas and I think it’s important that the Board should ask Dav Whatmore who he thinks should be appointed. At the end of the day, Whatmore has to work with the bowling coach and he is running the show, so it’s extremely important that Dav’s input is taken into account by the PCB. Whoever is brought in as the bowling coach should be on Dav Whatmore’s recommendation.

Whatmore’s first assignment with his new charges is the Asia Cup in Bangladesh where Pakistan will face the hosts, Sri Lanka and arch rivals India in a competition that commences on 11th March when Pakistan take on Bangladesh in Dhaka.