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Former Test cricketer Mohsin Khan believes coach Geoff Lawson will be expected to produce good results even after the Pakistan Cricket Board decided not to renew the Australian’s contract next year.
“Pressure will be a lot on him,” Khan told the Associated Press on Tuesday.
Ijaz Butt — newly appointed chairman of the PCB — made it clear that Lawson’s two-year contract will not be renewed after it expires in April.
Pakistan are scheduled to play three limited-overs internationals against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates next month before the three Test matches and five one-day internationals at home against India in January and February 2009.
“India is not the team which it used to be 10-12 years ago,” Khan said.
“Now it’s among the top teams of the world so it will be a big pressure series for Lawson.
“He is the best judge for himself and maybe he takes the series against India as a challenge.”
Another former captain, Aamir Sohail, thought Lawson should accept it as a challenge after two losing Test series since the former Australian fast bowler replaced the late Bob Woolmer as Pakistan coach.
“If he is a thorough professional, he should take it as a challenge and prove others wrong,” Sohail said.
“I don’t think Lawson would be less motivated in the important series against India and he should accept Mr. Butt’s decision as a challenge for him.”
Former PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf appointed Lawson for a two-year term in July last year and also named Shoaib Malik as captain until December 2008.
“It was a daring decision of the PCB to pair Malik with Lawson,” Sohail said.
“There was no planning, no goals. Malik was a novice as captain and the PCB should have appointed a coach who was seasoned enough to know about our cricketing culture.
“Lawson himself was coming on his first major (coaching) assignment in Pakistan and I think it was a wrong pairing.”
Under Lawson’s stewardship Pakistan have lost Test series at home against South Africa and in India last year.
Pakistan also failed to qualify for the final of the Asia Cup at home in July.
Intikhab Alam, Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup-winning coach and also a former captain, said Lawson should leave Pakistan team’s coaching job.
“I think it’s better he should quit himself,” Alam advised Lawson.
Butt decided not to terminate Lawson’s contract immediately, claiming the pay out would cause huge financial losses for the Pakistani board.
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