Mickey Arthur would be a great fit as England coach because of his vast experience, says Azhar Mahmood
Azhar Mahmood believes Mickey Arthur would be a great choice to succeed England head coach Trevor Bayliss, given his vast experience in the job. Arthur, who has previously coached South Africa and Australia, is seeking a new challenge after his stint with Pakistan ended this week.
On Wednesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board had announced that it is preparing for a complete overhaul. Along with Arthur, bowling coach Mahmood, batting coach Grant Flower and trainer Grant Luden also departed this week after their contracts expired.
As per reports, the vastly experienced Arthur is a probable successor to Bayliss, after the Ashes series ends. Mahmood isn’t just keen that his colleague bags the opportunity, he is ready to work the South African again.
"Mickey has served South Africa, he's served Australia. He's been around for a while, so why not, I think he would do a great job. I'd love to work with Mickey, we had a great relationship and if he becomes head coach and I had the opportunity to stay and work in England, you can't ask for anything more than that," Mahmood told Omnisport, reported Sportstar.
Mahmood believes Arthur & Co. did a fine job with Pakistan. The team climbed to the top of the T20I rankings, and won the ICC Champions Trophy under Arthur. Mahmood argued that there was significant improvement in every department.
"Mickey is very passionate, very emotional. He does things with his heart 100 percent, whatever he does. I had a great time working with him, I learned a lot from him and I think he was the right man for Pakistan. Unfortunately, according to the pundits, we didn't produce, but there are issues with the fitness culture of players in Pakistan, there are a lot of unfit players. Our fielding, batting and bowling improved. People have to be given time, you can't produce overnight," he said.
Mahmood closed by saying that he is open to opportunities in international and domestic cricket.
"I'm looking at my options, it's good to have a little bit of a break but I've already had offers, my phone has been ringing a lot and that was also the case while I was doing the job with Pakistan. I would love to work in a capacity where I can pass on my huge experience, whether that be in domestic cricket in England so I can spend more time with my family, while also possibly working in tournaments in other countries. If an international opportunity comes up, then let's see," Mahmood added.