By Andrew Wu
It's not often in sport you get a chance to return the favour to those who sacked you, but this is the scenario confronting Mickey Arthur.
It's almost three and a half years since Arthur's reign as Australia's coach came to a spectacular halt. The administration – led by James Sutherland and Pat Howard – that fired him, sending his coaching career into disarray, is wobbly. Having only just found air, it is hardly in a position to cop more body blows. Arthur can see the irony.
"The mischievous side of me does," Arthur said from Cairns, where he is plotting for Pakistan to deliver Australia an unprecedented second series loss in a home summer. If he can, there will not be much festive spirit at CA's Jolimont headquarters over the Christmas/New Year period.
Vengeance, however, is not on Arthur's agenda, though it would be understandable if it was. Getting sacked is part of life as a coach but Arthur's departure was messy, leading to a highly publicised lawsuit against CA over severance pay during which claims that Michael Clarke had called Shane Watson a "cancer" were leaked.
Michael Clarke talks to Australian chairman of selectors John Inverarity (right), former Australian coach Mickey Arthur (centre) and physiotherapist Alex Kountouris (left). Credit: Getty Images
The toll on Arthur – emotionally and to his career – was also significant. Australia's stunning success in the first nine months under Darren Lehmann, which yielded an Ashes whitewash and the reclaiming of the No.1 Test ranking, was bittersweet for him.
While he saw it as validation of sorts, for the majority it only highlighted how badly change was needed.
"It was hard. I'd be lying if I said I didn't battle my way through it. Your ego takes a knock, your integrity and reputation take a knock, and all you were trying to do was what you thought was exactly the right thing that was needed," Arthur said.
"I took some joy seeing the results, I knew where Michael and I wanted to take the team and I knew what our thought processes were. Then to see them achieve that made me pretty happy."
Lawsuit: Mickey Arthur took CA to court over severance pay.Credit: Steven Siewert
Arthur's time was defined by his last four months, not least the homework scandal in Mohali, but he points out his tenure until then was "largely successful and good". His record before the whitewash in India stood a very respectable 10 wins and two losses from 15 Tests. As a comparison, Lehmann was seven and six but was riding high from the Ashes.
"Did I get it right? Probably not. Did I read the environment wrong? Probably yes, but I can put my head on the pillow at night knowing that I gave it my very, very best and did what I thought was right for that particular time," Arthur said.
"That helps you make peace with it, knowing that you gave it 100 per cent. The decisions that I made and took were decisions that I took for what I thought was best for Australian cricket at that time.
"You've got to live with it. I was very, very privileged to coach Australia. I loved every minute of it, that's why I was disappointed it ended."
Australian cricket might not want him but the native South African remains firmly entrenched in the country. He now calls Perth home, has become an Australian citizen and recently acquired an Australian passport, which makes travel a lot easier.
Since his Australian posting, Arthur's career has taken him to Twenty20 leagues in Bangladesh, the West Indies and Pakistan. Pakistan threw him an international lifeline in May, signing him to a two-year deal. It's the third country Arthur has coached but this job is much different to anything he has known.
Pakistan are the nomads of world cricket, "hosting" games in the UAE due to security concerns at home. "So maintaining the grassroots level interest and facilities along with coaching structure is tough for them," Arthur said.
Rebuilding Pakistan's credibility on the world stage has not been easy after the damaging spot-fixing scandal of 2010. That shameful episode ended the international careers of captain Salman Butt and senior paceman Mohammad Asif, while young gun Mohammad Amir was jailed and suspended for five years.
Misbah-ul-Haq was reluctantly installed as captain, aged 36, having never commanded a long-term position in any national side. He is widely known as a man of impeccable character.
Under Misbah, Pakistan achieved the No.1 Test ranking for the first time this year, albeit briefly. The board that was initially unsure about him now does not want him to retire.
"He had to almost refresh the whole system and give the system its integrity back. He's a man of such good high principle and strong value," Arthur said. Senior batsmen Younis Khan and Azhar Ali and wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed have also been pivotal.
"It's a brand built on integrity, honesty and tough, hard work," Arthur said. "They haven't taken any shortcuts. To get to No.1 without playing at home in six or seven years is a massive achievement for them."