Pakistan’s cricket establishment took a paradigm shift today by replacing Javed Miandad as national coach with Bob Woolmer. The move takes Pakistan from the ancient school of coaching to the modern and could, as in the case of John Wright here, be the catalyst for the professionalism of cricket across the border.The Pakistan Cricket Board’s announcement today acknowledged as much, calling Woolmer ‘‘one of the finest and most respected coaches’’. It hoped he would bring about a ‘‘positive change in the performances of our team’’ and said it was looking at him as a long-term investment.Apart from his sheer stature, Woolmer’s biggest strength will be his status as an outsider to the politics that has long plagued Pakistan cricket.It was the school of coaching to which Miandad — who suffered as a cricketer — ascribed. The Karachi streetfighter represented a generation that abhorred modernity and largely believed in what former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif called the ‘‘main hoon na’’ culture.‘‘The biggest problem with Javedbhai was that he could never accept the fact that he is no longer a player and wanted to get it done himself’’, Latif told The Indian Express on Wednesday.During India’s tour of Pakistan, several home cricketers told this reporter that Miandad was too obtrusive, larger-than-life, and would interfere with their style. In contrast to the backroom style of Woolmer, Wright and Australia’s John Buchanan, Miandad often gave the impression — as, famously, during the first ODI at Karachi in March — that he could get in the middle and win the match.Woolmer, an Englishman, was coach of the South African team led by Hansie Cronje and is credited with bringing the concept of detailed planning to the dressing room.Whether it was his infamous ear-piece experiment with Cronje during World Cup 99, or his long hours in front of the computer, his innovations helped. When he left South Africa, the team was the No 2 in the ODI rankings and a contender for the No 1 Test slot.Speaking to Reuters from South Africa, Woolmer (55) pointed to Pakistan’s ‘‘incredible stream of raw talent’’ that has too often failed to live up to its potential. ‘‘My challenge is to help them maximise their potential and become more consistent’’, he added.He has the track record to work with raw material — his last assignment was high-performance director with the ICC, developing teams like Kenya, USA, UAE, Scotland in a bid to expand the Test fold.His first priority will be restoring morale, an area of management Miandad paid little attention to. Star bowler Shoaib Akhtar, for one, has been at odds with the PCB over fitness problems and will need some bucking up.Woolmer’s appointment has elevated the status of one other person: team manager Haroon Rashid, who will interpret the coach’s words to a team where most players understand little English.It also sets up the meeting, at Lahore in early July, of cricket’s latest Odd Couple: coach Woolmer, wired and with-it, and team captain Inzamam-ul Haq, definitely unwired.
