SL likely to hire Mushtaq as spin bowling coach

KARACHI: Sri Lanka’s cricket chiefs are mulling the idea of roping in former Pakistan Test spinner Mushtaq Ahmed for the position of spin bowling coach.

According to reports, Mushtaq, who is regarded as one of the best leg-spinners in history, is a strong contender for the post.Mushtaq, who has expressed interest in the position, has previously worked with England and Pakistan. The Sri Lankan cricket board (SLC) is also on the hunt for a new fielding coach.

The search for new staff coincides with the exit of Nic Pothas — who was Sri Lanka’s interim head coach for roughly half of 2017 — two months before his contract expires. A Sri Lanka cricket official confirmed that the board had let Pothas go on good terms, and that it would seek to appoint the two new coaches within the next two months.

Pothas’ decision to quit early is understood to have been partially prompted by his disappointment with the scope of his role. Although he had been a contender for Sri Lanka’s permanent head coach position in August last year, when he had been publicly endorsed for that role by Sri Lanka’s cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha, Pothas was not required by the national side after Chandika Hathurusingha — a coach of much greater renown — was hired. Pothas had been working as a general fielding coach since being relieved of the interim position. SLC officials expect him to take up a position in England.

Appointed interim coach following the exit of Graham Ford in June last year, Pothas’ six months at the helm was largely characterised by poor results, substantial upheaval and pressure from SLC administrators, though there was also the historic Test series victory against Pakistan in the UAE last year. —with inputs from agencies