Owais Shah has been overseeing training for almost a week but the UAE players could be seeing more of him after the former England international admitted he would be interested in taking the head coach role if approached.
The 37-year-old batsman began his coaching consultant role last Tuesday and will continue until next Tuesday, having joined on a two-week deal.
Regular sessions at the ICC Academy has meant Shah has had countless opportunities to see the players close-up as they stepped up their preparations for today’s two-day practice game against West Indies.
The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) are yet to appoint a head coach after Aaqib Javed stepped down in four years in charge in May. And Shah insists he would not rule out the top job if asked by ECB.
“I would love to but no-one has asked me yet,” said Shah, wo played 94 times for England.
“I’m just doing a two-week stint just as a consultant and am happy to do this. If they want to ask me on a full-time basis, I’ll be open to it.”
Having scored more than 20,000 runs in all competitions in a 17-year playing career that has seen him play in all formats including in some of the biggest T20 competitions around the world, Shah brings a vast amount of experience to his temporary position.
The former Middlesex and Hampshire batsman is keen to pass on that knowledge and feels coaching could be the next step for him.
“I’m open to suggestions,” he said. “This (UAE job) is just something that landed in my path and I was happy to take it on board. I do other stuff back in England like commentating and being involved in the property market but coaching is something that I’d like to do as long as it’s the right thing for me.
“We’ll see if any coaching opportunities come my work, I’ll have a look at them. I’m not ruling out any coaching jobs.”
For now, his immediate focus is getting the best of the UAE players.
Having been reunited with some of them after working as a batting consultant for five days in England in September, he’s been impressed with what he’s seen.
But he wants to see them up their game against West Indies over the two days in Dubai.
“There are some very talented batsmen like Rameez (Shahzad), Laxman (Sreekumar) and Shaiman (Anwar), while the bowling department is strong,” he said.
“The guys are looking good but all of that is irrelevant if you don’t go out there (against West Indies) and perform over the next coming two days.
“They are not used to playing longer formats as there’s a lot of 50-over and T20 tournaments played here so it’s work in progress and trying to adapt to bowling and fielding in longer periods.”
