Mike Hesson, who was parachuted to England for the third and final Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Saturday, said that he would be open to becoming the Pakistan red-ball coach on a permanent basis if offered the job.
His remarks came after Pakistan went down by eight wickets in the final game of the three-match series, losing 0-3. Hesson, who is the current white-ball coach, replaced Sarfaraz Ahmed as the coach for the final contest after PCB decided to send seven players and two coaches back midway through the tour.
After Pakistan suffered defeats in Headingley and Lord’s, the Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB decided to replace seven players and two coaches, and Hesson was asked to take charge in Birmingham. However, the upheaval didn’t result in a change of fortunes as Pakistan suffered their third defeat on the bounce.
However, Pakistan showed some fight in the final Test, and the visitors surpassed the 200-run mark for the first time, scoring 449 in the second innings. Debutant Razaullah was the standout performer, scoring 81 with nine sixes and also taking four wickets.
After the Test came to an end, Hesson was asked whether he would be open to coaching Pakistan on a permanent basis in Tests, and he said he would love to do so if presented with an opportunity.
“I haven’t been contemplated at this age. I have got the Asian Games coming up, and that’s my main focus in terms of white-ball. By the time it arrives, I am sure we would have had some discussion about the Test team going forward,” Hesson told reporters in the post-match press conference after the Birmingham Test.
“Yeah, I will be open to it for sure. I love Test cricket, and I am sure there’s enough talent in Pakistan. If we can provide some good direction, we can make some strides forward. It is not going to happen in a game or two, but there’s some skill out there that I’d consider looking after,” he added.
England approached Hesson
Hesson also revealed that he was approached by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) earlier this year when Brendon McCullum was sacked as the Test coach. The position is now filled, with Stephen Fleming taking charge from his Kiwi counterpart.
“They are looking for who’s around. Obviously, we have agents and all. I have committed to Pakistan till the World Cup and wasn’t having any discussions with anyone else. My focus was with Pakistan in the white-ball heading into the World Cup, and obviously, the last week to 10 days, there have been some additions to that,” said Hesson.
“I was contacted by my agent to say they have approached you to have a discussion. I made it pretty clear that I had committed to Pakistan. I don’t really believe in having one job and another. It’s not really the way I have ever operated. In most of the positions I have been in, I have stayed for 5-6 years. Then take a break, get refreshed, and try something else. That’s how I operate,” he added.