Former fast bowler, Shoaib Akhtar has expressed that South African Mickey Arthur has around eight months to either reshape Pakistan cricket or step down from his assignment.
According to NDTV SPORTS, Shoaib Akhtar said it'll not take more than eight months to determine the kind of impact new coach Mickey Arthur has on the Pakistan cricket team. The outspoken and enigmatic Akhtar said he backed the appointment of Arthur who is a very seasoned and experienced coach having worked with top international teams like South Africa and Australia.
"But I think in eight months time we will know whether he will make a difference or go like others before him. Because in this period we play some very important series and either he will reshape the way we play our cricket or decide to bid goodbye," Akhtar said.
“He made it clear that coaching the Pakistan team could be a challenging and frustrating assignment for any foreigner because of the different cricket culture prevalent in the country,” Akhtar stated. “Arthur has a reputation of being a disciplinarian and innovative coach and Pakistan cricket needs both but he has to decide when and where to draw the line,” Akhtar said on a local television channel.
“Arthur has all the credentials to change the attitude and mindset of our players the way they play top cricket. So I am hopeful." At the same time, praising Arthur, Akhtar said that he is known to focus on discipline and Pakistani cricketers need it the most. ‘The ‘Rawalpindi Express’ said that Pakistan play some crucial series in the next eight months which is why this period will be very challenging for the new coach.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) recently appointed Arthur as the head coach after Waqar Younis stepped down from the post following team's back-to-back failures in Asia Cup 2016 as well as ICC World Twenty20.
In the next eight months, Pakistan has full Test tours to England, New Zealand and Australia and also play West Indies in UAE.
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