Mickey Arthur, the former head coach of Pakistan’s national men’s cricket team, has made a comeback in Pakistan cricket as the director. In an exclusive interview at Derbyshire CCC, Arthur discussed his plans for the Pakistan team in the short-term and long-term, including preparations for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup in India.
Arthur shared insights on the team’s recent performance in Test, ODI, and T20 formats, as well as Babar Azam’s captaincy. He also addressed the potential comeback of former captain Sarfraz Ahmed in the ODI squad for the World Cup and the potential inclusion of pacer Mohammad Abbas in the Test squad.
Arthur also discussed his experiences as head coach of Derbyshire County Cricket Club, his decision to bring players from Pakistan to the club, and his relationship with Najam Sethi, a top official at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
During Arthur’s previous tenure as head coach from 2016 to 2019, Pakistan won the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy and reached the number one position in T20 cricket. However, their Test performance was unsatisfactory, and after a disappointing 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, Arthur was relieved from his position.
Following his departure from Pakistan, Arthur served as the coach of the Sri Lankan team and has been working with Derbyshire since 2022. The new PCB regime decided to bring Arthur back as the team director and he recently visited Pakistan to hold meetings with the PCB management and players.
Arthur has recommended a coaching staff that includes former fielding coach Grant Bradburn as head coach, former South African batter Andrew Puttick as batting coach, and fellow countryman fast bowler Morne Morkel as bowling coach.
Currently, Arthur is back at Derbyshire for the county season, as he is in the second year of his four-year contract with the club. The interview was made possible by the support and facilitation of the Derbyshire County Cricket Club management.
