Wasim Akram cautions against over-coaching
PCB is looking for a batting coach after the recent slump at the World T20. -Photo by AFP
KARACHI: As Pakistan’s search for a batting coach continues in an effort to address the recent slump, former captain Wasim Akram has cautioned against over coaching when it comes to the national team.
“Whoever is coaching Pakistan should tell them – meetings should be 15 minutes because if you let it run for 16 minutes they’ll forget the first 15. These details are important,” Akram told Sport360.
Akram emphasized that quick thinking and reacting instinctively in cricket is better, especially for a team like Pakistan.
“Different areas have different mentalities, the sub continent, England, South Africa, Australia wherever. The less we think the better it is for us as it gives us less time to clutter our heads, so you have to be straight forward,” he added.
Akram said that a lack of confidence among the players was the main problem, adding that the talent is present and just needs to be utilized properly.
“Pakistan need a batting coach to teach these young kids the fundamentals of batting. You used to see batsmen going onto their front foot to hit their shots, when you see Pakistani players they don’t do that. They don’t seem to have the confidence to come out.
“I look at the batsmen like a bowler: ‘how can I get them, where are their weaknesses’, and see someone like Mohammad Hafeez, who isn’t a front foot player, as a target. What they need is confidence, the talent is there,” the 46-year old said.
Meanwhile another former Pakistan player, Zaheer Abbas, has offered his services to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the post of the batting coach.
“Our batting has not been up to the mark consistently and I want to work with them to bring about this consistency and hunger for runs,” Abbas said.
Dav Whatmore is currently the head coach of Pakistan with Mohammad Akram as the bowling coach.
As long as political influence and corruption remain in the PCB the national team will remain a disgrace, the fact that the likes of Shahid Afridi are still playing shows that influence and political connections are enough for third class players to continue playing at the international level.
Wasim is controvertial….few days ago he was asking for Hafeez to be made Captain??? and today he is saying that Hafeez does not have confidence, now what is Correct???? No amount of coaching can help this AVERAGE bunch of players. Our sytem does not let the Talent grow. The PARCHEES kill them before they blossom. Only private enetrprizes could find talent but Imran discouraged them years ago and we are facing the concequences today. So Sad, have started taking interest in India-Pakistan KUBBADDEE lately.
only one coach can mentally coach the batsmen,how to stay at the creaze during cruisal times,how to come out of it, only and only Javeed Miandad.
start detecting money from the pay cheque of under performing players,including coach,you will see every player will start performing.
Too many cooks….! Just one coach. Pakistan needs a good psychologist who could work on players’ conficence level and stress management.
May I dare to ask – Why is Md. Akram the bowling coach ? What is his strength ? Why cant we hire Shoiab Akhter ? he has offered to help the team out ….
Great insight from great player. Coaching or over coaching will not help here in current forms of cricket. Twenty 20 is ruining the art of batting. There are only couple or three batsmen in the world who can switch from Twenty 20 to Test cricket very quickly. Few of the Pakistani batsmen including Hafeez are utility players. Technically Mohammad Azhar, Asad Shafiq, and Nasir Jamshed are goodand have lots of potential. Umar Akmal needs some coaching for temperament other wise a great asset. Waseem Akram is very smart and passionate about cricket especially Pakistan cricket. He should be given a run as a coach.
Zaheer will make a fantastic coach or how about bringing back Mohsin Khan.
I must say I’m so impressed by Wasim’s suggestion. It’s just the same if you go through self-help books without letting your own learning work for you, you end up becoming a self-help junkie. Or a mother who dictates her boys how they should live their lives only makes wussies. If there is one thing that our team needs is breathing space from coaching, media, alumini cricket players comments.