Coach hunt: Mohsin’s extension may be considered

Team’s good show may force former chief selector’s name to be thrown in.

KARACHI: A Test and One-Day International (ODI) series-win over Sri Lanka has forced the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) three-member coach-hunting committee to seriously consider extending Mohsin Khan’s tenure and changing his interim role as team coach to a full-time one.

Mohsin, the former chief selector, was asked to assist the team on the UAE tour since the PCB could not appoint a head coach to replace Waqar Younis with the change at the board’s helm delaying things further. The committee – comprising Intikhab Alam, Zaheer Abbas and Col (retd) Naushad Ali – had sent a list of five shortlisted candidates for the position of head coach to the PCB but Mohsin’s term was extended for the tour of Bangladesh that starts from November 29.

“The applications we received were mostly from local coaches along with a few foreign candidates,” a member of the committee confirmed to The Express Tribune. “However, we’re in no rush to name the coach or the team of coaches and we’ll sit down for various discussions before finalising the names.”

The official, though, did confirm that the team’s performance in the UAE has forced a minor rethink and if the show goes according to plan in Bangladesh, Mohsin’s appointment could be part of the discussions. The interim coach recently expressed his desire to take on the coaching position if offered, preferring that over his chief selector’s role.

“The series wins have certainly added a feather to Mohsin’s cap. We beat Sri Lanka and chances are that we’ll beat Bangladesh as well and if the graph goes up then it’ll be a worthwhile discussion.”

The official also added that financial negotiations would also take up a long time in deciding Waqar’s successor. While no discussions with the captain or any players had taken place, the committee consists of experienced batsmen and will take a decision in the best interest of the team, according to the official.

“We hope to have a name in time for the England series [that starts at the end of January] but availability, salary, security issues and family concerns for foreign candidates are all issues that need to be sorted and that takes time.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 24^th, 2011.