PCB to avoid major changes

Yousuf could retain captaincy

Last updated: 10th February 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

PCB to avoid major changes

Yousuf: oversaw winless tour

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have no plans for a sweeping overhaul to the national team in the wake of their disappointing tour of Australia.

Pakistan lost all three Tests, all five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 game in Australia, prompting calls for Test and one-day international captain Mohammad Yousuf to be sacked and for several senior players to be dropped.

The PCB have formed a six-member panel headed by chief operating officer Wasim Bari to review reasons for the defeats, but Bari has backed the current squad.

"We have to make do with the players we have," he said.

"What we need to do is to get the best out of them and that can be done only through proper planning and by involving the right people.

"I believe the team is capable of doing much better, but we lack proper planning.

"At the moment we just want to win on talent alone, but you can't get consistent results with such an approach."

Potential

Pakistan are set to play England in two Twenty20 Internationals later in February in Dubai and Bari has backed the team to do well.

"I still believe that this team has the potential to do well even against any side," he added.

Pakistan's coach in Australia, Intikhab Alam, has been dropped for the forthcoming series and the PCB's under 19 coach Ijaz Ahmed named in his place.

The PCB are reportedly looking at hiring a foreign coach but Bari remains noncommittal.

"The task of the inquiry committee is not to sack somebody or the other," Bari said.

"What we want to do is to find solutions for the sake of our cricket and for our team.

"We would want to hear what the coach and captain have to say and would begin the proceedings without any preconceived ideas. We would then make decisions.

"As for hiring a coach, our job is to find the right coach. He could be from Pakistan or abroad."

Chappell approach

However, former Australia captain and India coach Greg Chappell has turned down the overtures of the PCB.

"I was honoured and flattered by the approach but I have declined the invitation," Chappell told Cricinfo.

"I have no ambition to coach at the international level again and I am committed to my role with Cricket Australia as head coach at the Centre of Excellence and chairman of our National Youth Selection Panel."

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