Bye Bye Mr. Dav Whatmore?

When Australia’s Dav Whatmore was signing contract with Pakistan Cricket Board to take the job of Chief Coach of national cricket team, I was thinking he is actually signing a contract of humiliating exit from the position. He is fourth in line of foreign coaches hired by Pakistan Cricket Board to head the coaching assignment for the national cricket team – two South Africans and as many Australians. None of the previous three completed their contracted tenure – two were sacked and one was brutally murdered.

I recalled few years ago Dav Whatmore was shortlisted for the assignment of Chief Coach of Pakistan cricket team along with another Australian Geoff Lawson but he lost the bid as senior players had told Pakistan Cricket Board management that they would not accept Dav Whatmore because he had a reputation of maintaining very strict discipline. Geoff Lawson was chosen because of his softness but had to quit in disgrace as senior players never cooperated with him. He was sacked in the mid of his contract term.

South Africa’s Richard Pybus was the first foreign coach of Pakistan cricket team in 1999. His rise and fall was instant. His first assignment was 1999 World Cup to be played in England. Pakistan had a dream start and successfully reached to the final. This was the instant rise of Richard Pybus. Then Pakistan lost the final against Australia at Lord’s and Richard Pybus was sacked immediately on the spot. Instead of taking flight to Pakistan with team, he had to take his flight back home to South Africa.

Another South African Bob Woolmer was not sacked but he was murdered. He was Pakistan’s chief coach for 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean. For the first time in Pakistan team’s history that it did not qualify for the second round and was eliminated after a shocking defeat at the hands of minnows Ireland. Following the humiliating defeat, Bob Woolmer was strangulated in his hotel room. Like Richard Pybus, he too did not take flight to Pakistan along with the team but took a direct flight to South Africa but not as a passenger but as a dead body in a coffin.

Exit time for Dav Whatmore hasn’t arrived as yet, but signals of the impending arrival are already coming at an alarming pace. Following severe criticism in Pakistani media by former players and experts, some team members are also criticizing him. Saeed Ajmal, Pakistani team’s ace spinner and one of the most senior players has said that Dav Whatmore has made ‘no difference’ in his time as chief coach of the team. When asked to elaborate ‘no difference’, Saeed Ajmal said, “there is no difference, just that we are paying more to him, otherwise there is no difference”. He also stressed on language difference and said there is a definite communication gap especially with junior players who are shy or unable to communicate in a foreign language.

Pakistan has not won any Test series during Dav Whatmore’s 18 months assignment as chief coach of Pakistan cricket team. Recently Pakistan could barely draw the series against Zimbabwe 1-1. Dav Whatmore attained unprecedented fame in 1996 World Cup when Sri Lankan team won the title in a grand fashion of remaining unbeaten in the entire tournament. A simple plain fact is that unlike Sri Lanka, it is impossible for a foreign coach to handle Pakistan cricket team where senior players exhibit extreme player’ power and junior players are too shy and unable to communicate in English. 

Pakistan’s next series starts on 14 October against South Africa at neutral venues in the desert of United Arab Emirates. If Pakistan loses, it would be almost impossible for Dav Whatmore to retain his post. The only hope is to draw the series by making flat wickets and comeback unbeaten. Even if this happens, player’ power would play the deciding role and that’s how I can say a bye bye to Dav Whatmore in not a very distant future. If I go by speculation, it would not be too early to say “Bye bye Mr. Dav Whatmore”.