Mickey Arthur’s appointment has been made final as he has been announced as the national team’s director by the Pakistan Cricket Board. While the ex-South African player has commitments with Derbyshire as a head coach, he would still be overlooking the boys in green remotely and will join them in the World Cup.
What will Mickey’s new role be and how will he manage it?
Mickey’s responsibilities revolve around the strategies of the team. With his experience as a former head coach, he would already be familiar with the team’s dynamics and environment. However, his availability is a bit of a concern. The new team director’s contract with Derbyshire is of 4 years and only one year has passed. This means that this new role for the national team is a part-time role for now. He would not be available for the Asia Cup except for the game against the arch-rivals, Sri Lanka tour, and the series which is against Afghanistan. However, he would be fully available for the team in the all-important ODI World Cup that is set to be played this year and the home series against the Windies.
What are some of the new developments made under Najam Sethi?
Since Najam Sethi has become the new chairman of PCB, numerous developments have been made. One is Mickey’s appointment, others include Abdul Rehman, becoming the assistant head coach and Grant Bradburn resuming his duties as head coach.
Najam Sethi seemed delighted about Mickey Arthur’s return and also gave details about his new role
“I am pleased that Mickey has formally re-joined the Pakistan men’s cricket team with an enhanced role in which he will be responsible for formulating and implementing strategies for the upcoming assignments across all formats. Furthermore, he will also be responsible for strengthening the national team culture and identifying and grooming future stars, so that we can strengthen our bench strength and strategically secure our future.”
He also hopes that Mickey Arthur’s previous experience will help him.
“Having lived and worked in Pakistan during his previous tenure, Mickey knows the current players, the structure, and the system at the back of his hand. I am sure he will incorporate learnings from the previous tenure so that he can have an even more successful second term.”
How has the public reacted?
Mickey Arthur’s appointment has been received with mixed reviews. Some think it is a good decision and also recalls the fact that Pakistan won the champions trophy and became the No.1 t20 cricket team under his tenure as head coach. Others think about Pakistan’s below-average performance in tests and early exit from the 2019 World Cup, and that stops them from celebrating the new development
