Younis Khan: “For me, there has never been a bigger honour and a better feeling than to represent my country and I feel privileged to have been again offered the opportunity to serve it for a challenging but exciting tour of England”
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Legendary batsman Younis Khan has been appointed as Pakistan’s batting coach for the upcoming tour of England.
Pakistan are scheduled to play three Tests and three T20 Internationals against England.
Recent reports said that the tour is all set to go ahead, but the start date of the Test series will be pushed back from July 30 to August 5.
Younis, who is the only Pakistan play to score 10,000 Test runs, admitted that he is excited about sharing his experience and knowledge with the current stars in the Pakistan team.
“For me, there has never been a bigger honour and a better feeling than to represent my country and I feel privileged to have been again offered the opportunity to serve it for a challenging but exciting tour of England,” he was quoted as saying in a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) press release. “The Pakistan side includes some immensely talented cricketers who have the potential to achieve greater heights. Together with Misbah-ul-Haq, Mushtaq Ahmed and Waqar Younis, we will try to make them better and prepare them as best as we can with on and off field coaching and guidance.
“I have never been shy of sharing my experiences and knowledge, and I think this particular tour provides me with an ideal opportunity where I can spend post-training time with the players to engage with them on batting techniques, bowler assessments, mental toughness exercises besides talking them through with scenario planning.
“We all know English conditions demand not only precise technique but patience and discipline, and if you can master these, then you will not only excel in England but anywhere in the world. With the quality we have in the team, I think we have a good chance to produce good results if we prepare properly, get our processes right and hit the ground running as soon as we land.”
Pakistan head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq expressed his elation at having Younis join the coaching staff for the England tour.
“I welcome Younis Khan and look forward to reuniting with him in Pakistan colours as our cricket careers have almost run concurrently,” he said. “We know each other better than most think as we have worked hand in glove in the past decade to contribute in some of Pakistan’s most historic and memorable Test wins.
“When I took over the captaincy during a difficult period in 2010, Younis proved to be a great ally and support, and I am confident he will provide similar assistance as we head to England with a clear objective of putting Pakistan cricket back on the road to success.
“With the reputation and record Younis brings with him not only as a disciplined and hardworking batsman but also as an athletic fielder and a strategist, I see this as a great opportunity for our young players to hone their skills and learn how to make the transition from a good to a great cricketer.
“It always requires more than just talent to stamp your mark on the world stage, something which Younis demonstrated throughout his career.”
PCB chief executive Wasim Khan added: “I am delighted that someone of the stature and incredible batting record of Younis Khan has agreed to join the Pakistan cricket set-up as national men’s team batting coach. When I spoke with him, his commitment and enthusiasm to take up this assignment and serve his country was never in doubt and he jumped at the opportunity.
“Younis’ work ethics, commitment to match preparation, game awareness and tactics in the English conditions will be invaluable. He is a role model to a number of current players and is hugely respected. I have no doubt that the squad will benefit from the immense value that he will bring, both on and off the field.”
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