Shahid Afridi says “There are better coaches available within Pakistan”

• Afridi and other former cricketers oppose idea of part-time coaches for Pakistan.
• Coaching is a full-time profession, according to a former Test cricketer.
• Arthur will continue to serve as a full-time coach for Derbyshire.

Shahid Afridi and other former cricket players think that such an arrangement may not be successful in the long run since Mickey Arthur, the previous head coach of Pakistan, is likely to return to the cricket setup as a part-time coach.

Coaching is a full-time profession, according to a former Test cricketer who is now in negotiations for a position with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

“Even the consultancy is a full-time job as a consultant needs to stay focused on his job. Wearing two hats at a time would only complicate the matter and create odd situations for the team members. The idea is not workable in the longer run,” he said while requesting anonymity.

The cricketer added that the Pakistani side needed a full-time head coach who travels with them whenever they play abroad and remains with them throughout training camps at home.

“Whether he is a foreigner or a local, he should be with the selected members of the national team throughout the year.”

Afridi, who was appointed as the interim chief selector, also opposed the idea. “There are better coaches available within Pakistan. The PCB must hire one of the home-grown coaches,” he said.

Speaking against such an idea, former pacer Aaqib Javed said: “Coaching is a full-time job. If you are a coach of a well-recognised team, you must devote full time to help the team get better results.”

Following initial claims that Arthur had accepted the position of head coach, the PCB later stated that he was only available for large events and that it had no desire to hire a part-timer.

Once more, the PCB was updated, and Arthur was now available to advise with the team while also coaching the English county team Derbyshire.

The PCB confirmed earlier this week that Arthur would serve as “team director” rather than head coach.

According to sources, it has been decided to oust the head coach of the Pakistan cricket team since the board prefers to work with assistant coaches rather than head coaches.

As team director, Arthur, who guided Pakistan to its first-ever ICC Champions Trophy victory in 2017, would oversee all operations.

However, in accordance with the anticipated deal, the former Pakistani coach won’t be accessible to the national team throughout the English county season.

Arthur will travel with the team to Australia and to the ODI World Cup in 2023.

Jang was informed by trustworthy sources that Arthur will only be accessible for a select few assignments on the ground. For this year’s 50-over mega tournament in India, the former coach has promised PCB that he will travel with the team. He will continue to serve as a full-time coach for Derbyshire County Cricket Club in the interim.

On the other side, Arthur will have a chief of staff, per the decision of the national cricket governing body.

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