It’s now been a little over a week since the inevitable was confirmed – Mickey Arthur is not going to be the man to lead the Pakistan cricket team into the next major international tournament. Despite rumors to the contrary, Arthur was asked to step down following a World Cup performance which fell far short of everybody’s expectations. Perhaps tellingly, when asked about his feelings following the announcement that he wouldn’t be continuing in the role, he spoke of being ‘disappointed,’ and ‘hurt,’ but didn’t mention being surprised. In the end, it felt like he was aware that someone would have to pay the price for the team’s failure, and the buck stopped with him.
The PCB has indicated that it’s going to take its time before deciding who the right man to lead Pakistan’s cricket team into a new era will be, but there’s a list of likely candidates, and we’d be surprised to see the board stray too far from what’s in front of them. At the present point, there are very few high-quality ‘free agents’ in cricket who look like good choices for the job – most of the elite coaching talent is already under contract elsewhere, so on the surface, it looks like Pakistan will have a narrow field from which to find an inspirational leader.
While we’ve been able to identify a probable list of candidates, we wouldn’t like to speculate which one of them is the most likely to get the job. Trying to pick a winner here is no easier than trying to predict the outcome of the next spin on a mobile slots game. You can find a game called ‘Cricket Star’ on many mobile slots websites, and trying to get a win from it is similar to what the PCB is trying to do right now – rearranging a list of potential winners in an order which they hope will lead to a jackpot. As with casino games, though, the process can be exciting, but the outcome can vary significantly. If this were mobile slots, Pakistan could simply spin again if they don’t like what they end up with. As it isn’t, they’re going to be stuck with their choice for a while. That’s why it’s so imperative that they get it right. So who’s in the frame?
Phil Simmons
If Pakistan has aspirations of persuading Phil Simmons to take the helm, they’d be best advised to act quickly. The smart money at the moment is on Simmons taking over for a second stint in charge of the West Indies – even though he only recently won a settlement against them in court for his 2016 dismissal from the same job. The cricket board of the West Indies have paid up and apologized, Simmons as his money, and everybody is friends again. That’s cleared the path for his return.
The cricketing qualities of Simmons are obvious. It’s hard to imagine any other coach matching his achievements with minor cricketing nations like Ireland and Afghanistan, and he’s earned the right to return to the sport’s top table. The only question mark against him is his temperament – Simmons is believed to be a difficult man to work with, and his acrimonious departure from Afghanistan, which was played out on Twitter, didn’t win him many admirers.
Grant Bradburn
When Arthur was removed from his post, his whole coaching team went with him – with one exception. Grant Bradburn was spared the ax, and one would have to assume that there are reasons for that. There are clearly those within the PCB who support Bradburn, and that support might turn into a chance to take the top job. His current assignment is coaching fielding, but he’s not completely without head coach experience – he spent four years in charge of Scotland, during which time the country’s standard on the field improved.
The case against Bradburn is that Pakistan’s fielding hasn’t been all that impressive of late. He’s someone that the players know and will feel comfortable with, but appointing Bradburn might feel like ‘more of the same’ instead of something new.
Tom Moody
If the reports that he’s applied for a coaching role with India are accurate, then Pakistan swooping in to take Moody away from them wouldn’t sit well with a lot of Pakistan cricket fans. Once someone’s been associated with India, they’re often permanently off-limits. In the case of Moody, that might be a shame. Nobody knows the area or the players better than Moody, and his track record speaks for itself. He’s a serial winner, and he might be looking for a new challenge.
Moody seemed happy at Rangpur Rangers until the Bangladesh Premier League decided to change the licensing requirements for next season, and Shakib Al Hasan started taking longing looks at the exit door. Moody is unlikely to want to a stay at a team that’s weakening rather than strengthening, and if he were in charge of a major cricketing nation, he wouldn’t have to deal with the prospects of other teams coming in to take his players.
Dean Jones
Dean Jones wasn’t the right man for the job three years ago, even though he was actively considered for it. During those three years, he’s been strengthening his knowledge of Pakistani cricket, and Pakistani cricketers. Given that he narrowly missed out last time, his enhanced knowledge base surely qualifies him as one of the strongest contenders this time around?
As the coach of Islamabad United, Jones has picked up the PSL title twice in the past four years. In the process of doing so, he’s shown an ability to nurture and develop young players in exactly the manner that will be required of Pakistan’s next coach. We’re ready for the next generation of players, and Jones might know who the best prospects are better than any other foreign coach. As with Simmons, though, he’s got an unfortunate habit of speaking his mind when the diplomatic approach is to keep quiet and carry on working. Jones is a firebrand, and so represents something of a risk.
Outside of the four men mentioned, you could also make a case for Ottis Gibson or Mike Hesson, both of whom would relish an opportunity to either rebuild or enhance their coaching reputations respectively. Some reports are linking Pakistan with Andy Flower, but unless Flower decides to leave England then such speculation borders on the realms of fantasy. We expect one of the four prime candidates we’ve identified to take over the reins – but which one?