[EXCLUSIVE] "When you don't do well for Pakistan it seems the knives are out too many times": Dav Whatmore

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Dav Whatmore is one of the most renowned and accomplished coaches in cricket. He led the Sri Lankan team to their maiden Cricket World Cup title victory in 1996. Later, he worked with the Pakistan men's team, achieving notable victories such as the Asia Cup 2012 title, a win against India in India, and a historic white-ball series win against South Africa in South Africa.

In an exclusive interview with Saj for PakPassion, Whatmore shared his insights on modern coaching, the appointments of Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie, and his tenure with the Pakistan team.

The topics he discussed in this interview include:

Chaos in Pakistan team: Reflected on the challenges he faced during his tenure with the Pakistan team, describing the situation as chaotic at times.

Advice to Kirsten and Gillespie: The veteran coach offered words of wisdom to newly appointed coaches Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie, sharing his expertise on navigating the pressures of international cricket.

Team environment and grouping: Emphasized the importance of building a strong team environment and creating a sense of unity among players, citing his experiences with the Sri Lankan and Pakistani teams.

Coaching in India: Shared his experiences and lessons learned from his coaching stint in India, highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities of working in the country.

T20 leagues versus First-Class cricket: The coach expressed his concerns about the increasing trend of players opting for T20 leagues over First-Class cricket, and the potential impact on the sport's future.

Workload management: Stressed the responsibility of cricket boards to balance player workloads, ensuring that players are not overwhelmed by the demands of modern cricket.

Pakistan cricket's way forward: The coach offered his insights on the steps Pakistan cricket needs to take to move forward, including investing in grassroots development and creating a stable team environment.

Coaching Pakistan again: Revealed whether he would consider coaching the Pakistan team again in the future, sharing his thoughts on the challenges and rewards of working with the team.

Watch full interview here:

 
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Dav Whatmore has told the mantra of success of India cricket, that they make sure that efforts are made to ensure 4-day cricket is not neglected. and what we are doing? Our players are just passionate about T20 cricket and PCB is also busy to make sure that every year we have more T20Is fixtures than Test cricket.
 
Dav Whatmore has told the mantra of success of India cricket, that they make sure that efforts are made to ensure 4-day cricket is not neglected. and what we are doing? Our players are just passionate about T20 cricket and PCB is also busy to make sure that every year we have more T20Is fixtures than Test cricket.
You guys can set the bar high Nd compete with Australia for once?
 
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The Pakistan head coach role is a poisoned chalice.

People will accept the role knowing full well that they could be out in a matter of months if the government changes. Who in their right mind will accept such a job.

In addition the Board will have to pay huge amounts of compensation and unpaid salary every time there is a change of coach.

What a mess.
 
Dav Whatmore is right about strict scrutiny as a Pakistan coach and this is the reason the great Wasim Akram always abstains from this role and responsibility.
 
Dav Whatmore is right about strict scrutiny as a Pakistan coach and this is the reason the great Wasim Akram always abstains from this role and responsibility.

Probably more to do with the fact that he makes way more money with way less stress and time/effort commitment elsewhere like broadcasting due to his marketability. I doubt "extra scrutiny" is the sole or biggest factor keeping him away from the role.
 
Probably more to do with the fact that he makes way more money with way less stress and time/effort commitment elsewhere like broadcasting due to his marketability. I doubt "extra scrutiny" is the sole or biggest factor keeping him away from the role.
It is not just the scrutiny. There is literally no one to ask questions and there is no real accountability. Wasim is not here because he knows the PCB system inside out. He knows they can bully you out of PCB any day without any reason.
 
It is not just the scrutiny. There is literally no one to ask questions and there is no real accountability. Wasim is not here because he knows the PCB system inside out. He knows they can bully you out of PCB any day without any reason.

True, good point. No need to ruin the good thing he has going for him.
 
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"Amuses Me He's Termed As All-Rounder From...": Ex-Pakistan Coach's Straight Talk On Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya's importance in Indian cricket currently is immense. Being a top fast bowling allrounder, Pandya represents a breed that is a rarity in the sport in the country. His presence in the XI provides great balance and it was seen in the T20 World Cup. Pandya bowled two crucial late overs in the final against South Africa as India edged past their rivals. He is handy batter too. However, he is not the captain or vice-captain for the Sri Lanka T20I series, and the reason was his fitness.

Former Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore, who has coached Indian domestic sides Kerala and Baroda, had an interesting thing to say about Pandya. He was talking about the Indian domestic circuit.

"The health of the national team is a reflection of the health of the domestic set up. In India, there is a lot of teams that participate in the four groups. I have worked in India for a number of years. The three formats that are participating are great. Then you add the IPL. That's the secret of Indian cricket," Dav Whatmore said on PakPassion.

"There's still some individuals who don't play white-ball cricket. For example, in my last few years in Baroda, Hardik Pandya wouldn't ever play white-ball cricket. It always amuses me that he's termed as the all-rounder from Baroda but he hasn't played for Baroda for years! So, yes, there are some who don't do that. But I can also see that recently that BCCI is keen on players participating in Ranji Trophy and other tournaments."

SOURCE: https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/amu...coachs-straight-talk-on-hardik-pandya-6179217
 
Hope Shan gets a chance to settle in a captain.
 
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