Pakistan’s Test cricket future, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Misbah-ul-Haq-c1972
After http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755’s recent controversial cricket tour of England, in which the Pakistani Test skipper Salman Butt and two other Pakistani players were the target of match-fixing allegations, the board had to replace the Test skipper.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) needed someone with maturity and the right temperament to lead the team in the longer version of the game.
Pakistan cricket had a few options regarding the Test captaincy, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482, Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan or Misbah-ul-Haq.
One Day International (ODI) skipper, Afridi, himself admitted, after the first Test defeat against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746, that his cricketing sense and style did not compliment the longer format of the game.
On the other hand, Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan, and Misbah-ul-Haq, were dropped from the team on after their poor run of form in the Australian home series in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/March-c74391 2010.
They were to pay a certain amount of fines and were suspended from participating in the national team for some time.
However, Mohammad Yousuf was the first to be called back as the team needed him in the recent controversial tour of England.
Yousuf has refused the captaincy status on a couple of occasion before as well, as the veteran right handed batsman is not comfortable with the dual role of batsman and leading the team at the same time.
On the contrary, Younis Khan was not called back to the national Test team, neither was his life-ban from international cricket removed. Besides, the mere fact that the board had several issues with former Pakistani skipper, Younis Khan still isn’t the best
option for the job, due to team conflicts during his captaincy tenure.
Nevertheless, Misbah has been given the Test captaincy status based on his not so vast but effective and efficient cricketing sense, which many cricketing experts and senior players thought was the right amount of captain material needed to lead the team.
Former Pakistani coach, Geoff Lawson also advocates the fact that Misbah at present is the “best cricket brain” in the country.
Lawson believes, “The question is simply one of age and reactions. Has he got the sharpness to be productive at international level at 36? The captain leading or failing by example can have a significant effect on any team but especially Pakistan. He deserves
this but ideally he should have been captain six years ago”.
Many argue that former skipper Younis Khan would have been a better option for the Test captaincy slot. But keeping in mind that Misbah has never skippered the national Test side and no one can compare the two experienced individuals in terms of who would
be a better Test captain.
Former and senior Pakistan players such as Left-arm fast bowler http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Wasim-Akram-c96292 is against the notion of Misbah being the best option for the captaincy slot. As Akram said, “I was surprised when I heard that Misbah has been named the Pakistan captain. He has
been out of the team since the beginning of the year and to bring him back as a captain was a bit shocking".
Keeping in mind, veteran left-arm fast-bowler Akram also believes that the up-coming two match Test series in UAE against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, gives Misbah the perfect platform to make his international cricket comeback, as the UAE pitches suit his batting style.
Akram says that if Misbah is able to perform well with the bat in the middle order, he will be able to set an example for the younger players. Which would give them hope and confidence, as to how to go about things.
The PCB has shown a lot of confidence in Misbah-ul-Haq’s maturity and temperament to lead the national team in the 5-day game, as one can only hope and wait to see how this decision pays-off for Pakistan cricket.
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