Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer is under tremendous pressure to get the best out of his team in the third and final Test against India with a top Pakistan Cricket Board official reportedly conveying to the Englishman that the results were not on expected lines.
According to a local newspaper, the straight talk came from team manager, Saleem Altaf, also a PCB director (cricket operations), who conveyed to Woolmer the board's anxiety.
"Altaf had a discussion with Woolmer after he had earlier held a two-hour session with the Board Chairman Shaharyar Khan in Kolkata," the paper reported, quoting a team source.
"And on Tuesday night he told Woolmer that people were now expecting results from the team and while the rebuilding process was fine there was an urgent need for the team to produce some good results in the Test and One-day Internationals specially in India," the source added.
Pakistan have lost five out of seven Tests since Woolmer took over as coach in June 2004 but their performance in the One-day Internationals has generally been better although the team has now lost out in two finals at home against Sri Lanka and against Australia in the recent VB series and were also defeated in the Champions Trophy semifinal by the West Indies in England last September.
"Basically Woolmer was conveyed that the patience of the board was running out and it wanted results now," the paper wrote.
{{/usCountry}}"Basically Woolmer was conveyed that the patience of the board was running out and it wanted results now," the paper wrote.
{{/usCountry}}"During his meeting with Shaharyar Khan, Altaf is believed to have told him that from what he has observed as manager of the team there was now an increasing need to take strong action and show the right direction to the few players who were not learning despite several appearances for Pakistan."
The third cricket Test between Pakistan and India which began on Thursday could be a make-or-break situation for Woolmer in the background that former coach Javed Miandad had to pack his bags and go home after Pakistan lost the Test series 2-1 and one-day series 3-2 to India at home last year.