Sports

Past tussles forced me away: Miandad

Former captain reveals reasons behind turning down batting coach position.

Umar Farooq April 12, 2011

LAHORE:

Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad decided to turn down the batting-coach offer he had received from the Pakistan Cricket Board due to his past tussles with the management, revealed the legendary batsman.

Miandad was tipped to take up the role after getting a backing from limited-overs captain Shahid Afridi but decided against taking the position. While Miandad blamed the past for his refusal, it was learnt that the PCB’s reluctance to remove Waqar Younis as the head coach and Miandad’s role as the former fast-bowler subordinate was the reason behind his refusal.

“I’ve been offered the coaching role before and I had taken it up as well but there were certain things that happened due to which I will not coach again,” said Miandad after Pakistan’s training session in Lahore. “I was sacked on various occasions in the past. When the team was in the process of rebuilding in 2004, the board’s then-chairman Shahryar Khan sacked me.

“So it goes to show that Pakistan cricket basically is in trouble not just due to the players but also because of the management.”

Past trouble

Miandad, whose batting average never dropped below 50 during the 20 years as a cricketer, has had three previous stints as coach, with the last term ending in 2004.

“In the past, the management never really cared about the future. They didn’t even think about where the sport was heading. They just didn’t want to think about it.”

The former batsman added that the team lacks quality batsmen and that the management should take steps to counter this problem.

“Today we have no quality batsmen in the squad and that’s why we’re choosing the same batsmen who keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again. This practice has been adopted because we don’t have any backups in the first place.”

Call for the merit system

Miandad stressed that the players should realise their responsibility and fight for their spot in the side through performance rather than finding a way through nepotism.

“The players should realise they need to make it to the squad on merit. Whoever performs remains in the team and if we follow that system, I assure you that everything will be on track.”

Too many coaches affect performance

Miandad said that he believed extensive coaching staff can only create confusion and not cause an improvement. Pakistan, in the past, have had a fielding and bowling coach apart from the head coach.

“I’ve always been against having numerous coaches as it just ends up creating a lot of confusion. Also, when you lose, the blame-game starts. Therefore, there should be a coach who is fully authorised and responsible. Also, what will a batting coach do? You have a fielding coach already and see how much that has helped.”

He insisted that a plan for the future should be made and the management should see why those players unable to deliver are being selected repeatedly. “You’re not here to learn, you’re here to deliver for the country and one must give his 200 per cent in order to reach the top level.”

Alam disappointed

Meanwhile, Pakistan team manager Intikhab Alam – who had earlier asserted that team needed a batting coach – was disappointed that Miandad declined the offer after the board approached him. However, he remains hopeful Miandad will help the players in the future.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 13^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (13)

Anwar | 13 years ago | Reply No AUSSIE or any english coach will come pakistan unless the conditions are improved

Asad Baig | 13 years ago | Reply Javed Miandad a Legend,was a Genius on the Field,World Class Batsmen,Very Good Captain,probably the Best Cricketing Brain Pakistan has produced and his admires are themselves legends of the Game from Viv Richards,Sunil Gavaskar and Clive Lloyd to name a few.He was among the most Brilliant Fieldsman of his time and certainly one of the best ever produced by Pakistan.Miandad has rightly been inducted in Cricket Hall of Fame.I am following Pakistan Cricket since the late 70s and can easily say he was a thrill to watch every moment and till he was on the crease there was every hope Pakistan would win and most often it did.He may sound a bit old fashioned to a few but all players including Imran Khan will sound old fashioned now but they are the ones who have proved on field with their simple techniques,hard work and dedication.All these basic things are missing sadly from the Pakistan cricket team players specially the batsmen and fielders. Even a Hi-tech coach like Bob Wolmer who was much ahead of his time in Coaching Techniques with Laptop and Coaching certificates but he could hardly change the lack of Character and Spirit of the Pakistani Players and was so much demoralised with their performance that it was one of the reasons that cost him his life. Javed Miandad honest and sincere advise was put down the drain by the Ever Efficient PCB and the Players over the years,who are themselves to be blamed for their pathetic performance.

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redsnapper | 13 years ago | Reply @Fahad Khan: Excellent thought. Miandad has never been the "go getter" kind of coach and Gilchrist is a great option. I'm also sure he'll gel with Waqar quite well compared to Miandad who has spent his life blaming others.

Aamir | 13 years ago | Reply PCB dropped deserving players like Asim Kamal in past. There is a lobby system that destroyned Pakistani team. Trouble makers like Rana Naveed and Shoaib Malik should not be considered again. Player with high averages like Fawad Alam were overlooked due to boards internal rifts. Sad ...very Sad..

Fahad Khan | 13 years ago | Reply I think, Pakistan Cricket Board Should Ask Adam Gilchrist for the Batting Coach.. He is an excellent Wicketkeeper and an outstanding batsman.. If he accepts the Offer from the PCB. I think It would be Best for Pakistan Batting and for wicket keeping

Zai | 13 years ago | Reply I think India has the best batsmen in the world. We should get an Indian batting coach. However it should be for an academy rather than the team. How can you coach professional batsmen? I agree with Miandad we should try and build a pool of batsmen rather than just focus on the main team. I think what the team needs is a psychiatrist who can train the batsmen to be mentally stronger and have better concentration at the crease Try to get an Indian batting coach would also put this 'dosti' the politicians are talking about to a test.

Umer | 13 years ago | Reply We need a batting consultant in this case. who can guide in certain point of a match. Pre match, post match guidelines as well how to tackle pressure and build a innings

Saalman Hasan | 13 years ago | Reply Miandad had his go & he is past now, no doubt he was a great batsmen of his time but he failed to deliver when it comes to coaching and every time he blames team or management which is ridiculous. We got to understand that being a great batsman doesn't qualify you as a good coach. We need someone who understands modern day cricket, who has good knowledge of opponents, can use technology, can be friends with team-mates and above all have no ego issues should be made batting coach. Waqar is doing good job & someone under him can make a good combination and also add a fielding coach. We need to be more scientific in our coaching approach, use all the best of individuals, technology besides having psychologists/motivators. We need to come out of old & drained mind-set, the early we do the better it would be. I like this Change or DIE!

Moiz Khan | 13 years ago | Reply @ suleman : obviously he is a senior pro and he has his own way of doing things - training so waqar on top of him is unacceptable

Suleman | 13 years ago | Reply He is more worried about working under Waqar than team's batting

F M | 13 years ago | Reply well said. A sincere person like Miandad is never allowed to succeed in Pakistan

Moiz Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Its seems that Management is the real issue, merit should be given the first priority in choosing the team rather than the relations And as Miandad is honest is his approach thats why most the time he is being kicked on back seat by the management.

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply There has not been a better batsman in Pakistan than Mohd Yousuf. He has the highest batting averages bar none. However, after Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt conspired to fail his captaincy, he was dropped unceremoniously. Yousuf is still young and can be the best batting coach. That way we can acknowledge him as well. Keeping people like old and unfit Intikhab Alam who could hardly move even in their prime is a bad joke. Will BCCP use fairness as the criteria and appoint Yousuf as the batting coach? I am hoping against hope. The whole world saw when a youngster Asad Shafiq said that M. Yousuf is his ideal and he has molded himself in his style. Please do the right thing and as we say in the US, either use it or lose it. We are losing a great like Yousuf. Mirza, USA

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