Pakistan board on the lookout for a physiotherapist

Keen to find a solution to the injury problems which had become such a huge issue for their team last season, the Pakistan board is looking for a full-time physiotherapist for the players.

Apart from looking after the fitness of the cricketers during the busy months, he will also be expected to draw up a training schedule for the players during the off season and prepare a diet chart for them. He will report directly to the PCB chief executive - or the manager during tours - and will receive an attractive remuneration package.

The board's search for a physiotherapist comes in the wake of serious concerns being raised about the fitness levels of the players following Pakistan's defeat in the Tests and the one-day series against India. The tendency of their fast bowlers to break down was particularly worrying: Shoaib Akhtar missed a crucial part of the final Test due to injury, while Umar Gul, Shabbir Ahmed and Abdul Razzaq were all unavailable during various times in the series.

The move to hire a physiotherapist is also the latest in a series of decisions taken by the Pakistan board to make their set-up a more professional one: Greg Chappell, Daryl Foster and Barry Richards have all been hired as consultants to help budding players at the National Cricket Academy, and also to advice the senior team.