Inzamam made Pakistan batting consultant

Saturday, 15 December 2012 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

ESPNcricinfo: Pakistan have roped in former Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq as batting consultant, and also appointed a psychologist, to prepare for the India tour. Inzamam work with the batsmen on a series-by-series basis as the PCB has, for now, shelved the idea appointing a full-time batting coach.

“We have engaged the services of Inzamam ahead of the India tour,” Ashraf told reporters in Muridke, a town near Lahore. “He won’t travel to India with the team but will help the batsmen in the camp as batting consultant. He will part of the touring unit that goes next year to South Africa.

“Psychologist Maqbool Babri has also been signed up to help motivate the players for the challenging tour.”

The PCB had originally planned to recruit a specialist coaching panel with separate people taking charge of batting, bowling and fielding, but then appointed head coach Dav Whatmore with the additional responsibilities of batting coach.

Then, after a detailed review of Pakistan’s performance at the World Twenty20, where the team reached the semi-final only to lose to Sri Lanka by 16 runs while chasing a target of 140, the idea of a separate full-time batting coach once again took root. However, the PCB got a lukewarm response and now they’ve settled on a series-by-series consultant.

In response to the PCB advert, several former Pakistan Test batsmen, including Zaheer Abbas and Saleem Malik, had applied for the role but the PCB was looking to hire a qualified coach candidates with at least level three coaching accreditation and at least five years’ experience working with top cricketers were requirements.

India and Pakistan will revive their cricketing ties after five years with a series of two Twenty20s and three one-day internationals, starting on 25 December in Bangalore. The two Pakistan squads have assembled at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore, for a week-long training camp before flying to India on 22 December.