PAK vs AUS: Bowling coach Shaun Tait to join Pakistan squad before second Test

Former Australian Cricketer Shaun Tait is all set to join Pakistan men’s team as their bowling coach. Tait will be joining the side before the second Test against Australia and will be undertaking a 12-month assignment in the said position.

As per a recent update by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the former fast bowler is to reach Karachi on March 9 and will then go into a three-day isolation post which he will join the team. The second Test is to be played at the National Stadium in Karachi. Notably, the 39-year-old was initially supposed to be joining the team earlier but had his plans delayed due to the unfortunate passing of his father on February 22nd.

Tait was appointed as the bowling coach at the time of the announcement of Pakistan’s squad for the series against Australia. While Pakistan’s former spinner Saqlain Mushtaq was appointed the head coach of the side for one year term, another of the country’s stalwarts, Mohammad Yousuf, will serve as the team’s batting coach for the Australian series.

Shaun Tait has also undertaken other coaching assignments in the past

Tait’s first assignment with the Pakistan team would be in the ongoing three-match Test series against Australia, which is to be followed by three ODIs and one T20I. The bowler who was known for his raw pace during his international playing career has previously taken up multiple coaching assignments.

He was last year appointed as the bowling coach of Afghanistan’s national team for a five-month tenure but resigned from the role before the tenure’s conclusion. Tait was also reportedly roped in as the bowling coach by Indian state side Puducherry in September last year for their domestic season.

In his playing days, the Adelaide-born bowler was one of the fastest bowlers in the world. He played three Tests, 35 ODIs and 21 T20Is for Australia picking up five, 62 and 28 wickets respectively.