Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq said Geoff Lawson's inexperience as a coach at the international level was one of the factors behind Pakistan's recent ODI and Test series defeats against India.
"(Shoaib) Malik is young and learning and he needs a strong support staff with him. Unfortunately, coach Geoff Lawson is also new to international cricket and is in a learning phase. Malik needs someone experienced to back and support him," he said.
Inzamam, who returned home after playing in the Indian Cricket League, said former Sri Lanka and Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore would have been a better option for Pakistan.
"I don't know what the Board was thinking while appointing Lawson and ignoring someone as experienced as Whatmore," he said. Inzamam said it was unfair to expect too much from Malik too soon.
"I think we need now to be patient with Malik and give him reasonable time to adjust to his new role as captain. Captaining the side in Twenty20 cricket and Test matches are two totally different things and Malik will learn that with time," he added.
Inzamam blamed the team management for Pakistan's poor show in India as they allowed the players to get indulged in non-cricketing activities.
"I found the players were focusing too much on social and cultural activities and this affected their cricket. There is nothing wrong in taking part in social and cultural activities in India. But at the same time, we must not forget that they went to play cricket and that was their foremost duty," he said.
