PCB retains Grant Flower as batting coach

Flower, along with fitness trainer Grant Luden, will be staying on with Pakistan for one additional year

On the advice of national team’s head coach Mickey Arthur, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to extend the contracts of batting coach Grant Flower and fitness trainer Grant Luden.

According to ESPNCricinfo, both Flower and Luden, who signed two-year contracts in July 2014, will be staying on with Pakistan for one additional year after contract extension.

It was earlier suggested that Arthur would hire new coaching staff, however, he has endorsed the duo and also brought in a new fielding coach in Steve Rixon from Australia. Arthur’s own contract is for a single year, with a one-year extension subject to performances.



Pakistan’s batting has been a major weakness, with the PCB turning to former batsmen Inzamamul Haq, Javed Miandad, and Zaheer Abbas to bring about improvements. However, since Flower's appointment, Pakistan witnessed considerable improvements as their average runs per wicket rose to 43.82 from 28.89.

The national team had their highest successful Test chase last year in Pallekele when they scored 382, the sixth-highest successful chase in Tests. Pakistan’s number six have averaged 61 in Tests since July 2014. Under Flower, the Men in Green’s fourth innings average is also the highest among all teams.



Pakistan also developed an imposing fitness criteria under Grant Luden which helped players raise their fitness levels. However, he has been stripped off his additional responsibility of being the fielding coach with Rixon coming in. Mushtaq Ahmad is travelling with the team as a makeshift bowling coach only for the Tests, with Azhar Mahmood set to join as bowling coach for the limited-overs leg of the tour of England.