Nikita Miller says he is hoping to have a noticeable influence on the West Indies team’s spin bowlers as he takes up the role of an assistant coach for the two-Test cricket tour of Pakistan.

West Indies are scheduled to play a three-day warm-up match, starting Friday, January 10. The opening Test against Pakistan is set to begin on January 16 in Karachi, while the second match is to start on January 24 in Multan.

Largely due to security concerns, it is the West Indies team’s first tour of Pakistan in nearly two decades. The home side won that three-match Test series 2-0 in 2006.

The current West Indies squad, guided by Head Coach Andre Coley and captained by Kraigg Brathwaite, comprises left-arm finger spin bowlers Jomel Warrican and Gudakesh Motie and off-spinner Kevin Sinclair.

The inclusion of the trio is intended to give the West Indies bowling attack sufficient coverage on the tour, with conditions in the Asian subcontinent traditionally favouring spinners.

The 42-year-old Miller, who Cricket West Indies said was a coaching replacement for Rayon Griffith for this series, noted that the Pakistan tour provides a platform on which the slow bowlers can shine.

“I did some work with Warrican and Sinclair in the Test match [against Bangladesh late last year] in Jamaica and this is an opportunity for me to continue that work with them, and I have the opportunity with Motie who has featured more in [white-ball cricket] for the West Indies,” the former West Indies spinner told the Jamaica Observer.

“It’s not often that the senior team guys have a spin-bowling coach to work with the spinners… someone to bounce those ideas off in that way. Hopefully, with the work that we will be doing we will see those results in the middle.

“They are talented spinners — we have talented cricketers in the Caribbean who just need that support and time in the middle to express themselves,” said the Jamaican.

A crafty slow left-arm orthodox bowler, Miller had a stellar first-class career between 2005 and 2019. He claimed 538 wickets in 100 matches at an average of 16.31. A determined lower-order batsman, he tallied 2,296 first-class runs at 17.52.

Miller played one Test, 50 One-Day Internationals and nine Twenty20 matches for the West Indies.

Since retiring over five years ago, he has worked as assistant coach of Jamaica Scorpions under the guidance of both Coley and Andrew Richardson in regional four-day and 50-over cricket. He has also been part of the Trinbago Knight Riders coaching set-up in the Caribbean Premier League and been involved in preparation camps with the West Indies senior and academy teams.

Miller noted that the Pakistan tour is another chance for him to build his coaching credentials.

“I’m on a path to [becoming] an elite coach and this is just a part of the process. I’ve been involved in coaching since I retired in 2019. This is another step on my journey.

“I was called to fill in [for Griffith]… so I’m just taking this opportunity to work with the [team], and hopefully, the results can be great,” he reiterated.

“It’s an opportunity to help the senior team; I’m a fan of West Indies cricket and having played for over a decade I hope my contribution as a coach can help the team to perform better,” Miller added.

He said his duties will not be limited to guiding the spin bowlers.

“I’m here to support the head coach but obviously my expertise is in spin bowling, so I’ll help in that department when called upon. My focus is on spin bowling… but as an assistant coach I’ll help wherever I’m needed,” he explained.

Miller said he expects a smooth connection with Coley, given their history.

“I understand his style of coaching and it’s much easier for me to integrate into the team because I understand what he looks for and what he requires,” he noted.

The Pakistan series is to be the last of Coley’s tenure, which began in 2023.

Daren Sammy, the West Indies white-ball head coach and former two-time Twenty20 (T20) World Cup-winning captain, is to take over the red-ball team ahead of the three-Test home series against Australia in mid 2025.

— Sanjay Myers