Dean Jones on PCB's radar for chief coach role

Former Australian cricketer, Dean Jones is on the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) favorite list as the new head coach of the Pakistan cricket team.

After Pakistan’s disappointing performances in the Asia Cup T20 and World T20, head coach Waqar Younis resigned from his post. Shahid Afridi also resigned as captain and the board also dissolved the national selection committee.

The board has reached a conclusion to appoint new team manager. A reliable source in PCB said, "The board has also reached a consensus on appointing former Test opener Mohsin Khan as team manager and former spinner Iqbal Qasim as chief selector."

He added, "Mohsin is keen to work as the coach and turned down the chief selector's job for this but the board believes he would be ideal as manager while Qasim can be entrusted to do a good job as chief selector as he has already held this position before."

The PCB has asked interested candidates to apply for the role by 25 April after which a committee comprising of Ramiz Raja and Wasim Akram will help the board to choose the best candidate.

Ramiz Raja and Wasim Akram already recommended Jones's name to PCB

However, the source also said that both Ramiz and Akram had already advised the board that the 55-year-old would be an ideal man to coach the Pakistan team.

He said that another former Australian cricketer Tom Moody was also in the contention but is currently engaged in another assignment.

He said, "Basically the choice is down to former Australian all-rounder, Tom Moody, and Jones but Moody is already committed to other assignments."

Jones was the coach of Islamabad United team that won the inaugural PSL

In the past, Jones has applied for the position of Pakistan’s coach and admitted that he would love to coach the subcontinent side. He was also the head coach of the Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and they won the inaugural PSL earlier this year. He worked with the Islamabad franchise alongside Akram.

The source said that Akram advised Jones’s name after working with him in the PSL. He said, "Wasim has conveyed to the board that Jones could be a good choice having worked with him with the Islamabad team and seen his temperament and skills,"

Former Pakistani Test pacer Aaqib Javed was also a firm contender for the post but the source said the board came to a consensus that it would be best to try out a foreign coach. He said the decision was provoked by the problems and issues that came during the two-year tenure of Waqar Younis.