The Pakistan Cricket Board has reduced its hunt for a new head coach to Luke Ronchi, a former wicketkeeper-batter from Australia and New Zealand. According to a PCB insider, there have been in-depth talks with the 42-year-old, who has previous coaching experience with Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League. The source mentioned that due to the lack of interest from prominent coaches who are already tied up with various leagues or have concerns about working within Pakistan cricket, Ronchi has emerged as the leading candidate for the position.
The source mentioned that the contract with Ronchi is expected to be concluded within the next few days, just ahead of the upcoming home T20 series against New Zealand. Following his retirement from professional cricket, Ronchi has also served as a batting consultant and coach for the New Zealand team.
Additionally, the PCB team reached out to several renowned coaches, but many of them were either unavailable due to prior commitments or hesitant to take up any assignments with the Pakistan board.
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The source noted that due to the PCB’s past dealings with both foreign and local coaches, it’s understandable that some foreign coaches might have reservations. Even Luke Ronchi, who hasn’t confirmed his acceptance yet, is seeking firm assurances regarding the duration he would have to work with the Pakistan team, regardless of performance outcomes.
Additionally, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi recently attributed the failure of discussions with Australian coach Shane Watson to the leakage of salary details and other contract aspects.
The PCB has initiated its training camp at the Kakul army base, gearing up for the T20 World Cup in June, commencing with Pakistan’s home series against New Zealand in April. Ronchi stands out as one of the select few players who have represented two countries in international cricket, initially appearing for Australia and later for New Zealand.
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