RAWALPINDI: After months of speculation, Mickey Arthur has finally arrived.

The former Pakistan head coach has returned to the men’s national team setup in a directorial role and seems to be clear about his goals in his second stint. Building match-winners is what the South African will be focused on.

In this role, according to a Pakistan Cricket Board press release, Arthur will be involved in “designing, formulating and overseeing strategies” for the Pakistan team.

The 54-year-old will not be available to accompany the national squad in person for most of his time given his ongoing contract with English County side Derbyshire.

The coach, however, will be a part of the coaching staff for this year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, Pakistan’s tour to Australia and the home series against the West Indies. He will also be present with the side for Pakistan’s matches against India in the Asia Cup this year.

Arthur has brought together support staff of his own choice, which is being lead by head coach Grant Bradburn and comprises of batting coach Andrew Puttick — both already with the national side — and bowling coach Morne Morkel, who is set to join later.

“They say Pakistan stays in your blood; it definitely stays in your blood,” Arthur said during a press conference here at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Thursday. “I always knew there was a time that I was very emotionally attached to this cricket team, very emotionally attached to this country. “It’s a privilege for me; in fact, to come back and help, hopefully win a World Cup, get us to number one in the world in all formats of the game because we certainly got the talent, certainly got the players.”

Clearly excited to be back with the players he worked with the in his stint as the Pakistan head coach from 2016 to 2019, Arthur said he was looking to churn out the best out of the now superstars in the likes of captain Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shadab Khan.

The former Australia coach, however, is also a believer in creating competition for places, which, he said, would always keep the top players on their toes.

“The challenge is to keep pushing them, the challenge is to challenge them to everyday become better players,” he said. “Not only better players, but match-winners for Pakistan.

“But it’s also very good to bring in some young players because in a team dynamic and as a team evolves, you need to have those young players pushing the senior players for places, and that’s how you build a healthy team environment.”

Arthur believed the environment was required to get the best out of what he called “the talent second to none”; winning World Cups and achieving top spots across all three formats.

“I looked at the team last night when did a presentation to our players, he said. “The talent in that dressing room is second to none.

“You look around in that room, we’ve got a talent to win a World Cup, we’ve got a talent to be number one in the world in all formats and that’s going to be the challenge off late down to the blokes.”

There were concerns over Arthur being appointed in an “online” role and eyebrows were raised over the coach’s limited availability. Arthur was of the view that the remote nature of the job will have no affect on his performance whatsoever.

“First of all, there is no such thing like an online coach, he said. “You build relationships with the players, you know exactly what the players require and you give it to them.

“In the last five years I’ve watched every game Pakistan have played virtually on television. I know the players backwards; I know exactly what they are thinking technically.

“We’ve already spoken over the last couple of days with our players. I know exactly what they need; I know what they are required to be successful. I also know what’s required to be successful in terms of leading a team.”

Arthur was confident that in his absence, his support staff will deliver at the top level.

“I’ve got an incredible support staff that we’ve put together, he observed. “The support staffs are very trustworthy, very honourable but very, very good cricket coaches.

“Under my guidance, the players are going to get the best possible coaching available but also, I’m giving them a very clear path and a very clear direction.”

SETHI DEFENDS CHOICE

The PCB’s interim Management Committee chairman Najam Sethi wanted no one else but Arthur on board as Saqlain Mushtaq’s replacement as the Pakistan head coach since the former took office earlier this year. And Sethi’s vision materialised, although in a slightly different setting.

Sethi, despite having to go through extended negotiations with Arthur to rope the coach in, did not relent under pressure to consider local coaches over foreigners.

Having worked with Arthur when he was the PCB chairman back in 2016, Sethi backed his man again, calling him a “top professional”, while also expressing his reluctance to trust coaches that have worked in the domestic system.

“I am of the view and have experienced it as well, that by and large, the professionalism of foreign coaches is that of high-quality and it has no room for culture-related issues and likes and dislikes, he admitted. “They are focused on the job and goal-oriented.

“We are competing against the top professional sides in the world that have employed top professional coaches. We too should then get the services of the top professional coaches and display top professionalism.

“By saying this I don’t mean that there are no professional coaches in Pakistan, but generally speaking, at some point or the other, they end up getting influenced by cultural issues.”

‘PAKISTAN MAY TRAVEL TO INDIA’

Meanwhile, Sethi conceded that Pakistan may well travel to India for the World Cup despite the ongoing deadlock between the PCB and its counterpart across the border over the matter.

After the Board of Control for Cricket in India straightforwardly ruled out that the Indian side will visit Pakistan for September’s Asia cup, the PCB had threatened the BCCI for a similar action in return when India host the World Cup.

The PCB had also proposed a “hybrid model” to the Asian Cricket Council for the Asia Cup, which would see India playing their matches at neutral venues while the remaining tournament takes place in Pakistan.

The board will put forward a similar proposal in front of the International Cricket Council for the World Cup as well, but by then, the situation may be different, given Pakistan’s foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto’s upcoming visit to India for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting.

“We are being told that the ice will melt and if that happens then India may consider coming to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy,” said Sethi. “We are also being told that [we could play] the Asia Cup at a neutral venue and travel to India for the World Cup.”

Sethi, however, said the PCB’s current narrative was the same as before.

“We are of the view that if the ice has to melt, it should be from India’s side since we’ve always welcomed the idea of playing against them in Pakistan.

“The whole world is coming here, so India should also come and then, on reciprocal basis we can go there and play.”

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2023