LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to enhance the coaching strength of its National High Performance Centre (NHPC) inducting more coaches with the introduction of two new posts -- High Performance Coach and Power-hitting Coach.
The PCB in this regard has issued an advertisement inviting applications for the posts of batting, bowling, fielding besides High Performance Coach, and Power-hitting Coach.
Though Pakistan great Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Majeed are already working at the NHPC as batting and fielding coaches, the PCB has decided to hire more coaches.
There were speculations that the PCB may replace Yousuf as batting coach. However according to a PCB official, no one currently on the PCB payroll will leave to adjust any new individual as PCB’s move is aimed at further strengthening coaching resources for players, especially the juniors.
Interestingly, the PCB advertisement does not include the position of wicket-keeping coach, which fell vacant after Atiq-uz-Zaman resigned early this month. Atiq was working as wicket-keeper-cum-fielding coach.
“As part of its key strategic objective of achieving cricketing excellence by strengthening the foundation of Pakistan cricket through investment into pathways cricket, the Pakistan Cricket Board today launched its search for highly qualified and skilled coaches, who will be based at Lahore’s state of the art National High Performance Centre,” a PCB press release stated on Friday.
“In this relation, the cricket board on Friday posted advertisements for the High Performance Coach as well as batting, bowling, fielding and power-hitting coaches, who, among other qualifications, must boast a minimum experience of five years.
“The High Performance Coach will be required to provide integrated and holistic coaching support to the players across all formats and levels, including life and mental preparedness. He will also be responsible for identifying talent and defining objectives for individual players that would facilitate excellence and augmentation in the players’ game, personalities and leadership, following in the PCB’s vision, Philosophy and approach,” the release added.
“The batting, bowling, fielding and power-hitting coaches, among other qualifications, will lead PCB’s development programmes. They will also be responsible for identifying objectives for individual players within their areas of responsibilities that would facilitate excellence and augmentation in skills enhancements.
“While advertisements for the national team coaches will be posted in due course, the last date for submission of applications for five the National High Performance Centre coaches is Jan 17, 2022. The shortlisted candidates will be interviewed by a panel of experts before the candidates are finalised,” it concluded.
The PCB has to appoint coaching staff for the national team, which is working under head coach Saqlain Mushtaq on interim basis, since Misbah-ul-Haq (head coach) and Waqar Younus (bowling coach) stepped down in September this year in the backdrop of Ramiz Raja coming as new PCB chairman in place of Ehsan Mani.
According to sources, the PCB may not give heavy-duty team management to the national team as it is focussing more to give best coaching facilities to the juniors.
Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2021
