Coming under fire: Players ‘unhappy’ with Waqar’s attitude

Head coach has not learnt anything from past mistakes, claim team members

KARACHI:

Several members of the Pakistan team have voiced their dissatisfaction with head coach Waqar Younis, citing the former fast-bowler’s biased attitude and selective treatment of players as the reason for their concerns.

Waqar was central to controversy in his previous tenure as coach in 2011 when he had conflicts with then skipper Shahid Afridi, while he also wanted to force out some senior players from the national side.

When Waqar was re-appointed as head coach last year, many thought he had learnt from his past mistakes. But fast-forward to April 2015, the same situation is recurring.



“Waqar is creating a bad atmosphere in the dressing room. His treatment isn’t the same with all the players and the Pakistan Cricket Board needs to take this issue up with him when returns home from Australia,” a senior member of the team told The Express Tribune.

“He is now showing exactly the same colours of 2011 by brushing off senior players in the side to stamp his authority. Initially, we all thought Waqar may have learnt from his past mistakes, but we’ve been proven wrong.”

The player added that the coach’s ego does not allow him to take criticism well.

The players’ list of woes

Waqar reportedly first forced out Muhammad Hafeez — despite the all-rounder claiming that he had the ability to return to fitness in time for the World Cup — then misused another senior player Younus Khan and kept him out of the side in the crucial quarter-final match against Australia.

If that was not enough, he refused to field Sarfraz Ahmed in the playing eleven for the first four matches of the World Cup and even stated that he did not know that Sarfraz was travelling with the team as third opener.

When Sarfraz was presented with the opportunity, he slammed his critics, especially Waqar, by claiming two man-of-the-match awards out of the three games he played in.

Additionally, reports suggested that Waqar singled out Ahmed Shehzad for criticism and failed to address the poor performances of players like Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Akmal and Nasir Jamshed.

“Waqar has set his eyes on building a team around his blue-eyed boys who hang on to his each and every word,” revealed another player. “Despite mistakes and poor performances, he praised Nasir, Sohaib, Umar and a few others.

“The prime reason Hafeez was sent back was that Waqar didn’t take kindly to questions over his early morning training practice.”

It is also being said that Waqar wanted Azhar Ali to be the one-day captain despite better choices available so that he can implement his own plans without interference.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 3^rd,  2015.

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