Miandad offered batting coach job by Pakistan

Saturday, 9 April 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

KARACHI, (Reuters) - Former test captain Javed Miandad was offered the job of Pakistan batting coach on Tuesday in a bid to rid the side of inconsistencies which have blighted their recent performances.

Miandad, one of Pakistan’s batting greats, was approached after deliberations between the selectors and team management over the squad for the coming tour to the West Indies.

“I am always available to work with our players.

I will be able to focus full-time on this job in a few months time,” Miandad told Reuters.

He said he would inform the board about his availability to tour the West Indies.

“I have not decided on the tour as yet,” he said.

One-day captain Shahid Afridi said there was no better batting teacher than Miandad.

“I think Javed Miandad is the best possible choice to be our batting coach,” Afridi told reporters after a meeting with the board chairman Ijaz Butt.

“Our batting inconsistency has been a source of concern for us since last year and when you have a problem with a particular subject you go to the best teacher of that subject.”

Miandad, 53, played 124 tests and 233 one-day internationals and remains Pakistan’s highest test run scorer with 8,832 runs.

He has coached the national team three times but ended his contract after differences with the board and management.

Miandad is presently serving as director-general of cricket at the board.

Pakistan lost in the World Cup semi-final to India last week and Afridi confirmed the selectors were looking at giving new players exposure on the coming tour and resting some senior players.

The PCB delayed the announcement of the squad and said it would be named on Wednesday but confirmed that Waqar Younis, Aaqib Javed and Intikhab Alam had been retained as head coach, assistant coach and manager of the national team.

A well placed source close to the selectors told Reuters that it had been decided to drop wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq for the one-day series in the West Indies, which starts on April 18.