He Was Quite Tough To Mentor: Grant Flower Recalls An Incident During His Tenure As Pakistan's Batting Coach
Published - 02 Jul 2020, 08:16 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:31 AM
Former Zimbabwean batsman Grant Flower has revealed the name of a player who didn’t welcome batting tips during his tenure as Pakistan’s batting coach. The right-handed batsman joined the Pakistan camp in 2014 and left the post in 2019. Misbah-Ul-Haq succeeded in the role while also taking up the chief selector’s job.
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Along with Andy Flower, Grant Flower was one of the most successful batsmen produced by a country, which grew administratively weaker over the years. In more than 280 games for the national team, he has over 9000 runs. Behind his brother Andy, Grant is also the second-highest run-getter for Zimbabwe in Tests and ODIs.
It was none other than the veteran player Younis Khan, who had a bit of a tiff with the then batting coach of Pakistan. Grant Flower recalled a Test in Brisbane when during breakfast, the 49-year-old tried to give some batting advice. With 10,099 runs in 118 Tests, Younis Khan is Pakistan’s highest run-getter in Test cricket.
“Younis Khan quite tough to master. Obviously, a brilliant career. I remember one incident in Brisbane, during the Test, at breakfast I tried to give him a bit of batting advice, not that my career was anywhere near his regarding stats, as he is the highest scorer in Pakistan Test cricket,” Grant Flower said.
The Harare-born batsman recalled that Younis didn’t take his advice kindly and instead brought a knife to his threat while head coach, Mickey Arthur sitting beside him. At the same time, Grant Flower hails the journey as a batting consultant and concedes he has got a lot more to learn.
“But he didn’t take kindly to my advice and brought a knife to my throat, with Mickey Arthur sitting alongside, who had to intervene. Yeah, it’s been interesting. But that’s part of coaching. It makes it a hell of a journey, and I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve still got a lot to learn, but I’m very fortunate to be in the position I am,” Grand Flower stated as quoted by India Today.
Grant Flower referred to the Brisbane Test of 2016:
The Zimbabwean-born indicated the first of the three Tests between Australia and Pakistan in 2016 at the Gabba. Younis Khan registered a duck and 65 in the first and second innings in that fixture respectively.
That match is best remembered for Asad Shafiq’s 137 that threatened to gun down a fourth-innings target of 490. The tourists lost the clash by 39 runs and consequently the series by 3-0. The PCB recently appointed Younis Khan as the batting coach of the national team ahead of the upcoming tour of England.
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