Afghanistan appoint Dean Jones as the interim head coach

Former Australian cricketer and commentator Professor Dean Jones has been appointed as the interim head coach of Afghanistan. He will be at the position for their upcoming Intercontinental Cup clash in Hong Kong to be played from October 20. Jones himself revealed the news on social media website Twitter on Monday (October 9). He is currently commentating in the ongoing T20I series between India and Australia.

Mohammad Kaif was also in the race for the position of the head coach but it seems the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) preferred the 56-year-old. The Australian cricketer was in the country as the commentator during the recently concluded Shpageeza Cricket League. He also didn’t leave Afghanistan after the suicide bomb blast outside Kabul Cricket Stadium during one of the matches of the league. It will be interesting to see if the board continues him at the helm on a permanent basis.

Jones third coach in 2 years

Dean Jones becomes the third appointment to the role of head coach since October 2015. The former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was signed on for their tour of Zimbabwe and given an option to extend his contract for up to two years. However, he was prised away by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as he was named as the chairman of the selection panel.

Then he was replaced by the former Mumbai coach Lalchand Rajput in June 2016 under whom Afghanistan gained the Test status. But Afghanistan and Rajput parted ways after there was no contract extension beyond August 2017. The country is yet to their first ever international Test match though the reports emerged earlier that they would be playing a series against Zimbabwe. The players have expressed before that they would love to make their debut in the whites against Virat Kohli led Indian side. It remains to be seen if Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) takes any step to play against them in the near future.

@ACBofficials I am pleased to announce that I will be Afghanistan interim Head Coach for their Tour to Hong Kong #shouldbefun

— Dean Jones (@ProfDeano) October 9, 2017