Mushtaq’s English farewell pits him against Saqlain

KARACHI: Former Pakistan spinner Mushtaq Ahmed is set to lose his job as England’s spin coach as new head coach Peter Moores plans to reshuffle his backroom staff, according to reports emerging on Sunday. England’s loss could benefit Pakistan as Mushtaq might team up with Waqar Younis, who was reappointed as the head coach by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for a second term last Tuesday. A formal announcement from the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Mushtaq is expected on Monday. England, who are rebuilding after their horrendous Ashes campaign Down Under, have also fired batting coach Graham Gooch but have opted against replacing their Australian fast bowling coach David Saker after the latter signed a new contract in October that runs after next year’s Ashes series in England. Mushtaq — who bamboozled many a batsman with his assorted bag of leg-breaks and googlies — became a close ally of Moores who hired the diminutive Pakistani leg-spinner during his previous stint as England coach in 2008 after the pair had been together at Sussex during a period when the English county won first Championship title in 2003. Mushtaq is credited with re-emergence of England stalwart Graeme Swann during Andy Flower’s tenure as one of the most feared off-spinners in international cricket. Swann, arguably rated as one of England’s best-ever spinners, shocked the cricketing fraternity when he announced his retirement after the third Ashes Test in Perth last December after picking up just seven wickets at 80 apiece. Pakistan have yet to pick Waqar’s support staff but it is likely that Mushtaq, who played alongside Waqar for much of his international career, could join his former team-mate to work with country’s top spinner Saeed Ajmal and company before Pakistan tour Sri Lanka in August for two Tests and three One-day Internationals. Mushtaq has already sent in his application after the PCB advertised the coaching staff positions last month with a May 5 deadline. According to sources, the PCB has already taken the input from Waqar who is keen on the idea of having Mushtaq affiliated with the national outfit. Mushtaq, 43, claimed 185 wickets in 52 Tests from January 1990 until October 2003. He also bagged 161 wickets in 144 One-day Internationals and was one of the key figures in Pakistan’s triumphant World Cup campaign in 1992, snaring 16 victims in nine matches. While Mushtaq may have emerged as the frontrunner to join the Pakistan team bandwagon, another candidate is Saqlain Mushtaq, the former Pakistan off-spinner who is universally acclaimed as the inventor of Doosra. But sources point that Saqlain’s services — if the 37-year-old is employed — could be confined to the National Cricket Academy in Lahore where deposed Pakistan bowling coach and current national selector Mohammad Akram was recently appointed as the head coach. Saqlain, who in an international career blighted by fitness issues that forced him into early retirement, formed a portent spinning partnership with his unrelated namesake. When he played his last game for Pakistan — in the groundbreaking first Test against India at Multan in early 2004 — Saqlain, who grabbed 208 wickets in only 49 Tests and 299 in 169 ODIs, was just 27. In recent times, Saqlain was hired by both Bangladesh and West Indies as a spin consultant. But it remains to be seen as to which of the two ‘Mushtaqs’ gets the PCB nod to join Waqar’s backroom staff. Meanwhile, David Dwyer has reportedly shown interest in rejoining the Pakistan team after leaving Bangladesh late last month, quitting after being 14 months in job although his contract was until next year’s World Cup. The Australian trainer had two spells with Pakistan including the first when his compatriot and ex-Test fast bowler Geoff Lawson was hired as head coach in 2007.