GEORGETOWN (Guyana), April 4: Former Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive Ramiz Raja said Pakistan should consider operating without a coach following the death of Bob Woolmer.

Ramiz, who had convinced Woolmer to take up the coaching assignment with Pakistan in 2004, believes more control should be given to the team's captain.

“The PCB should take their time and think about not having a coach,” former Pakistan captain Ramiz said. “There can be confusion about who is in charge with a coach there, so I say give the captain all the authority.

“They need to put a strong system in place, manage things well and give the reins to a solid captain and make him more responsible.”

With Inzamam-ul-Haq also relinquishing the Test and one-day captaincy following Pakistan's poor showing, Ramiz believes that the time is right to made radical decisions which could change the fortunes of the team.

“We've tried various coaches and though they are important, if they were that important the lesser teams would be able to match the better teams in world cricket,” he said.

“Coaches can also retard the thinking of cricketers, especially of a captain because he's being fed things from his coach all the time. This can stall the development of cricketers or captains.”

Ramiz feels vice-captain Younis Khan should be appointed as the new skipper and also given charge of all team matters, aided by a low-profile assistant coach to organise things like nets.

He feels his ideas will resolve the issue of finding an adequate replacement for Woolmer.

Pakistan under-19 coach Aaqib Javed and cricket academy head Mudassar Nazar have both been suggested as candidates but Ramiz did not back them as candidates.

“As far as their cricket abilities go I have no issues but as man management skills are concerned I have an issue or two. I don't know if they are ready yet in terms of man management,” he said.

“From past experience we've tried Pakistani coaches and it's still a young art at that level. That is why Bob Woolmer was so crucial to this team. He knew man-management and would look at the positives out of a defeat.”—Reuters