3 reasons why Pakistan appointing Mickey Arthur as 'online coach' is a wrong move
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has grabbed the headlines recently, with reports claiming that the board wants to appoint Mickey Arthur as an online coach. Arthur has served as Pakistan's head coach in the past, and many players have had great experience working with him.
However, Mickey Arthur reportedly does not want to leave his current position as Derbyshire county's head coach, which is why the PCB has offered him the post of an online coach.
Not a single international cricket team has ever had an online coach before. The prospect seems exciting, but here are three reasons why the Pakistan Cricket Board's idea of appointing Mickey Arthur as an online coach is the wrong move.
#1 Coaching from home is not practical
Work from home has changed the work culture of many professions, but sports coaching is quite different. An online coach can send messages to the team captain about probable strategies and tactics, but he will find it challenging to help any struggling player with their techniques.
The coach will also not be able to monitor the training sessions of the players to perfection. Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt recently shared his opinion on online coaching on his YouTube channel:
"It makes me think of the COVID-19 times, because of the work-from-home thing. Coaching from home is practically not possible. It's an international sport that is very competitive. There are a lot of complexities involved, and you need to be present, and also has to be certain communication, which is not possible in this [Mickey Arthur] case."
#2 Mickey Arthur may find it tough to focus on 2 coaching jobs at the same time
Pakistani batters when the Zoom call with Mickey Arthur suddenly disconnects. https://t.co/an6xtlAzGo
County cricket is not like a T20 or T10 league, which takes place for a few weeks. The county teams compete for many months in first-class cricket and List-A matches as well as T20 tournaments.
Mickey Arthur will be busy for many months with Derbyshire's cricket. The coach would also like to have some leisure time and spend time with his family. If he accepts the role of an online coach, things will become quite hectic for Arthur.
#3 Time zone differences
Shahid Afridi : Online coaching kaisay hogi mujhe samaj nahi araha. #MickeyArthur #ShahidAfridi https://t.co/UzLpy0dMmA
Derbyshire play their matches in England. The time zones of the United Kingdom and Pakistan differ by five hours. When Pakistan travel to countries like West Indies, Zimbabwe, Australia or New Zealand, there will be massive time zone differences.
Mickey Arthur may not find it convenient to speak with the players and guide them on all the tours. Hence, hiring an online coach would do more harm to the Pakistan men's team than experiencing its benefits.
Perhaps the PCB could look for other coaches. The nation is home to some of the most talented cricketers who can try their luck in coaching.
If not a local coach, Pakistan could also consider roping in a foreign coach other than Arthur. Former Australian coach Justin Langer, who led Australia to the T20 World Cup 2021 title, could be a great choice.