Miandad backs Akram for head coach position

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Former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad believes that the legendary pacer Wasim Akram is the ideal candidate to serve as the head coach of the national cricket team.

Miandad, who also served as Pakistan team coach in the past, said someone like Wasim Akram, who had played a lot of international cricket and done well during his playing days could tune-up players in a better manner at the national level.

"Look the world is availing expertise of Wasim Akram and our other players as they tell their players practically through demonstrations how to remove faults and improve performance. Their tips are doing wonders. So, if other nations are availing their expertise why can't we ourselves benefit from our former greats cricketers?" Miandad asked.

Miandad said that foreign coaches did not have real interest in players' performance.

"They'll at once jump to take the credit if players perform well under them. But if they (players) figure poorly in some international event, they put the blame on players, saying they (players) are unwilling to learn and improve their skills," he said. "You can hire services of a foreign professional coach if you don't have experts in that field. But if you have more competent people at home for that slot than it would not be fair to rope in a foreigner."

The former right-handed batsman also believes that Pakistan is in a dire need of practical trainers instead of laptop coaches in order to meet the challenges of international cricket.

"You may hire coaches at the district level. These coaches may use laptops or other digital coaching methodologies for the strength and conditioning of our upcoming players. But at the highest level we need someone, who can train them on the ground and remove their weaknesses," he told APP on Wednesday.

Miandad did not speak against the usage of advance training methods, but was of the view that ground realities should not be ignored.

"The ground reality is that majority of our players have rural background. They come from villages and rural towns where they still don't have access to computers or laptops. Their upbringing as professionals has not been done like that. Now, if you will try to train them that way, they will not be able to adapt to the change," he added.

The 62-year-old believed that players could not be produced at the highest level rather it was at the junior level that they should be given proper coaching and groomed to become future stars.

"True, the digital coaching has worked a lot in foreign countries. But there is a hell of difference between their systems and that of ours. That is why I say we need trainers at the senior level and not the coaches," he said.

He said if the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) felt it was necessary to appoint foreign coaches then it should appoint them at the district level because that was the best stage to start using ultramodern methodologies.

"If you feel their appointment is imperative then send them to the cricket academies. Don't make your own greats players to work under them at the highest level," he added.

Miandad also asked the board not to make any decision in haste to change Pakistan team's captain.

"I believe Sarfraz has learnt a lot as captain. Now when he is fully trained to lead the national side for important future assignments it will not be a wise to change him,” he concluded.