Mickey Arthur is likely to return as Pakistan’s head coach but this time with a twist. If reports are to be believed, Arthur will be working with the Men in Green mostly in an online capacity but will be available in person for the ODI World Cup in India later this year.

According to the reports, Arthur will continue working for Derbyshire County Cricket Club as their full-time coach. The PCB will appoint Arthur’s assistant who will be in charge of the team on the ground in his absence.

Arthur, 54, has an impressive CV as a coach, having worked with teams like South Africa, Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the past.

Reacting to the reports, former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi expressed his shock and also questioned PCB's logic behind a foreign coach.

"Well even I don't know what type of coaching will happen or what the plan is. The concept of online coaching by a foreign coach for the national team is beyond comprehension," Afridi, who recently played the role of Pakistan’s interim chief selector, told reporters.

"Why only foreign coaches? Pakistan do have good coaches here. I know PCB also takes into consideration where the person is presently involved in politics. But all those should be kept aside in cricket so that we get a person who can take the tough calls which eventually makes a good team,” he added.

It is worth mentioning here that Mickey Arthur was Pakistan’s head coach between 2016 and 2019. During his tenure, they won the 2017 Champions Trophy and also achieved the No. 1 position in the ICC T20I rankings.

However, Arthur lost his post after Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-final of the ODI World Cup 2019 in England and Wales.