Reports: Ramiz Raja keen to rope in Gary Kirsten as Pakistan coach

Former South Africa batter Gary Kirsten is reportedly the number one candidate to be the next head coach of the Pakistan team. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja is keen on getting Kirsten on board due to his vast amount of coaching experience.

If reports in Indian Express are anything to go by, then former Australia batter Simon Katich and Englishman Peter Moores are also in contention for the coaching role. Kirsten has sound knowledge in terms of coaching, as he was the head coach of India from 2008 to 2011. The former South African batter helped India win the 50-over Cricket World Cup in 2011. Later, he went on to coach South Africa for two years and was also associated with Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals for a brief while.

Pakistan, currently have Saqlain Mushtaq and Abdul Razzaq as head and bowling coaches respectively on an interim basis. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if Kirsten accepts the full-time role because he recently declined the offer to coach India again, stating his desire to not take up coaching on a full-term basis.

Katich and Moores also have a considerable amount of coaching experience. The former was the assistant coach of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and till recently, the head coach of RCB. The latter was the coach of the England team in 2009. Currently, Moores has signed a three-year extension contract with the Nottinghamshire club.

If reports are to be believed, Raja has Kirsten on mind since January because he was unhappy with the way Misbah handled the team during his two years tenure.