Latif wants wicket-keeping coach for the team
Urges PCB to find new faces, launch talent hunt scheme.
KARACHI:
Former captain Rashid Latif has stressed on the need of having a wicket-keeping coach in addition to batting, bowling and fielding coaches for the national side.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named Dav Whatmore as the team’s head coach with Julien Fountain as the fielding coach but the bowling coach is yet to be named. Latif, who wants a specialist wicket-keeper in the side, wants more support for the individual.
“Normal catching practice is something that any coach can help out with but as far as the technical aspects are concerned, only a former wicket-keeper can help with those,” Latif told The Express Tribune.
The wicket-keeper’s position, according to Latif, has become a weak point for coaches around the world as there aren’t enough individuals to help with the increasing demand.
“Football teams have specialist goal-keeping coaches so why can’t a national cricket team have a wicket-keeping coach,” said Latif, before adding that wicket-keepers were the most neglected players on the cricket field in Pakistan.
The former captain revealed that the PCB was given a proposal by him to launch a wicket-keeping talent hunt programme to find enough talent for the future.
“Currently, we don’t have enough quality or backup. It’s because of this that we keep seeing the same faces over and over again. A normal coach won’t be able to spot a future talent. You need to hire the services of former greats like Moin Khan or Saleem Yousuf for that purpose. The coaches should also be mentored and if you look at our domestic teams, most of the men behind the stumps are stoppers and not wicket-keepers.
“This is of grave concern and the PCB needs to look into this matter seriously,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 4th, 2012.
Former captain Rashid Latif has stressed on the need of having a wicket-keeping coach in addition to batting, bowling and fielding coaches for the national side.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named Dav Whatmore as the team’s head coach with Julien Fountain as the fielding coach but the bowling coach is yet to be named. Latif, who wants a specialist wicket-keeper in the side, wants more support for the individual.
“Normal catching practice is something that any coach can help out with but as far as the technical aspects are concerned, only a former wicket-keeper can help with those,” Latif told The Express Tribune.
The wicket-keeper’s position, according to Latif, has become a weak point for coaches around the world as there aren’t enough individuals to help with the increasing demand.
“Football teams have specialist goal-keeping coaches so why can’t a national cricket team have a wicket-keeping coach,” said Latif, before adding that wicket-keepers were the most neglected players on the cricket field in Pakistan.
The former captain revealed that the PCB was given a proposal by him to launch a wicket-keeping talent hunt programme to find enough talent for the future.
“Currently, we don’t have enough quality or backup. It’s because of this that we keep seeing the same faces over and over again. A normal coach won’t be able to spot a future talent. You need to hire the services of former greats like Moin Khan or Saleem Yousuf for that purpose. The coaches should also be mentored and if you look at our domestic teams, most of the men behind the stumps are stoppers and not wicket-keepers.
“This is of grave concern and the PCB needs to look into this matter seriously,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 4th, 2012.