Team needs at least a year to become top side, says Miandad

LAHORE, March 26: The newly appointed coach Javed Miandad said on Wednesday that the current revamped Pakistan squad may take at least a year before becoming a top side again.

Addressing a press conference at Gaddafi Stadium, Miandad said that with playing a fair amount of international matches, hopefully, the team would pass through the rebuilding process within a year.

"Every thing needs time for completion. No one can built a house in a day and same is the case with Pakistan team. In cricket like other sport, no one can deliver in overnight," said the legendary batsman, who officially began his third tenure as Pakistan coach on Wednesday by supervising the national training camp at Gaddafi Stadium.

Miandad disagreed that the new-look team was a junior side, adding that the senior and junior were no matter, the real stuff was the performance.

"Except pacer Umar Gul, almost all the players have the international exposure and especially in batting where only Inzamam-ul-Haq is the lone regular player who has been omitted," he said while adding opener Saeed Anwar, another seasoned campaigner, failed to get nod of the selectors.

Miandad asked who were the senior and junior players in the Australian team which lifted the World Cup? and that only happened because all the players worked together.

The former skipper further said that he did not signed any terms and conditions with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as yetregarding his tenure of coaching and remuneration.

"I met the PCB chairman but no discussion on these topics came under, but hopefully under the current situationmy assignment will be on a long term basis," he hoped.

When asked will it not be better for both the PCB and himself to settle the terms and conditions before accepting the job to avoid any dispute in the future, Miandad claimed that these matters were no problems for him in the past and hopefully would also not be in the future. However, Miandad emphatically pointed out that he would definitely get remuneration since it was his prerogative.

When asked what prompted him to accept the same post again from which he stepped down in acrimonious circumstances in 2001, Miandad said it was a time to serve the nation and he accepted it as a challenge.

While replying to a question that he might be a top worldclass batsman but he lacked in dealing with the players, theformer captain rebutted this impression and explained that in his previous tenures he had been fully involved with the boys.

"I had been doing all by myself for what I had been instructing to my players both on and off the field. I had been throwing the ball 200 times in the training camp to set an example for others," Miandad remarked.

To a question he said that it was PCB's job to continue the practice of appointing a bowling coach for the team.

"A specialist bowling coach is not a bad idea for the team and in the past I had been calling Imran Khan and Sarfraz Nawaz to guide our fast bowlers," he said.

Miandad said that he had no belief in organising long training camp for the players. "Each and every player now has to maintain his physical fitness throughout the year whether he is in the team or not. The days have gone when the cricketers attended the training camp to get fit for the game."

He noted that in Australia and England the training camp was only serving the purpose of assembling the boys before the tour and not to make them fit.

Miandad said that his only task was to make better planning for the team and to give it a practical shape rested on the players.

The coach pledged that he would do only his job instead of interfering the working of chief selector Aamir Sohail or skipper Rashid Latif. "I consider it a bad practice to impose own theory on the others. However, consultation on the matter of selecting the team is not a bad idea as it could bring more productive results."

Team manager Haroon Rashid, who was also present at the press briefing, said that he had great understanding with Miandad and that would prove helpful in rebuilding a formidable side for the future.

The former Test batsman said that he was willing to provide any technical assistance Miandad needs if the latter deemed it necessary. "I had an association with all the players of the current Pakistan team from the Under-19 level and I'm in a position to guide Javed on technical aspects."

To a question, Haroon said that indiscipline players would not be tolerated and an action against them would be taken then and there".

He hoped that maintaining an excellent atmosphere in the dressing room would be his top priority.

Haroon revealed that the PCB had not given him any policy whether the players were allowed to take their wives on tour or otherwise.