Ramiz Raja says Pakistan coach Misbah-ul-Haq is poor man's MS Dhoni

Ramiz Raja talked about the changes Pakistan cricket needs for a rise.

By - 20 Mar, 2021

Former Pakistan cricketer and renowned commentator Ramiz Raja called Misbah-ul-Haq 'the poor man's MS Dhoni' while talking about his operating method. He feels Misbah needs change to take Pakistan cricket in the right direction.

Speaking in an interview on the Cricket Baaz YouTube channel, Ramiz made it clear that Pakistan's coach gets too protective after the team loses a match. 

"Misbah's training and upbringing is different. Let me put it this way, he is the poor man's Dhoni. MS was also restrained, no expressions and not emotional. Misbah is also like this but I think now he has to go on modern thinking," he said.

Ramiz doesn't consider the current method of Misbah as the right approach going forward for Pakistan cricket. "Misbah has to take a new direction because there is a need to set the GPS right for Pakistan cricket because aggression is in our DNA. I think at times he gets too protective and he gets cagey as soon as we lose a match. But if our products and talent is right we shouldn't be afraid of hiccups and setbacks."

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The 58-year-old wants Pakistan to go for specialist coaches for particular tours and he feels they shouldn't be carried over a long period after their job is done. 

"In the past I could understand we needed foreign coaches because we were young to this field but now we have grown ourselves in this area. In fact, I think there is no need to have permanent coaches with the team for all tours and we should only be appointing specialist coaches as required on tour to tour series to series basis.

"Appointment of coaches should be tour-based and opposition-based. Use their expertise for a series and move on rather than carry on with them for a long period."

Ramiz also spoke about the World Test Championship and felt that it needs a lot of correction. There was no Test series between India and Pakistan which the ex-Pakistan captain thinks made no sense. "The current format was lopsided and prolonged and it made no sense not having India and Pakistan series."

The points system of the World Test Championship was changed after the COVID-19 pandemic and Ramiz found it weird that teams played an unequal number of matches. India and New Zealand have qualified for the final of the tournament which will be played in June this year. 

"Teams didn't play the same number of matches and even the points system was weird. Next time when the WTC is held no cricket should be held at that time, No ODIs or T20s, if you want to promote test cricket and infuse life into it and also attract sponsors to this format," he added.

(With ANI Inputs)

By - 20 Mar, 2021

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