Test Captaincy slot - Younis Khan
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shahid-Afridi-c2482 resigned from test captaincy after the Pakistani team’s poor performance against the Australian team in the first of two test matches, during their tour to England.
Later, newly appointed skipper Salman Butt got suspended after the third test against England, as he and pace bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were alleged to take money for bowling a number of no-balls in the match. The controversial tour ended with
a 3-2 ODI defeat from the English team, as the side looks forward to the upcoming 50-over ICC World Cup 2011 and a few test matches against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 at the end of 2010.
According to former captain and player http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Khan-c71319 as captain to lead the young Pakistani side out of its current crisis. Abbas believes, “With the future of Salman Butt as captain and player
now uncertain because of the spot-fixing scandal, the best choice to lead Pakistan is Younis Khan,"
also adding, "The board should not waste any more time in appointing Younis as the Test team captain because he is the ideal man to lead the team after the controversial tour to England.”
Maybe, veteran Abbas is right, based on his long association with the team and PCB. But besides what the veteran has said, they are a few very important reasons for Khan to be reappointed as skipper. Firstly, there is no surety that Afridi will not back
out from test captaincy yet again, and whether http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Salman-c88163 Butt’s recent appeal against ICC suspension would turn into his favour.
Secondly, based on Khan’s test record of 63 matches, in which he has maintained a healthy average of 50.09, scoring a massive of 5269 runs, he becomes the ideal candidate for the test captaincy slot. Khan also has 16 centuries and 21 half-centuries to his
name, with a commendable strike rate of 53.73. Not to forget, his 638 boundaries and 24 smashing sixes, and his best of 313 runs. He experience in the longer version of the game, can surely help the young test team of Pakistan.
Thirdly, according to resources close to the team and Khan, it has been reveal that former team manager Yawar Saeed instigated fellow team mates as the manager led the conspiracy. This resulted in Khan resigning and later a life ban was imposed by PCB. However,
the official statements regarding the matter from the manager suggest that he had nothing to do with Khan’s life-ban imposed by the PCB. But now since he isn’t in the picture, it would be easy for Khan to make a comeback, without any intrusion and hurdles.
Yawar Saeed says, “I have nothing personal against Younis, we got along well. I don’t know from where these allegations have come up.” He also added, “As a player I respect Younis a lot and if the board and selectors feel they want him in the team I would
be happy to see him back, to me all players in the team are equal and I’m supposed to be fair with them”.
The fourth and most important reason for Khan’s inclusion in the team is that he had absolutely nothing to do with the recent controversial tour of England. And this might be a healthy thing for both Khan and the team to take a fresh start.
According to senior players and cricket experts, the young Pakistani team needs an experienced captain as the World Cup’11 is ahead, to guide them away from the controversial crisis. But all said and done, one simply cannot forgo Afridi’s recent efforts
with the team, how he stepped up to the occasion and led the team in the crisis. One can only wait and see what the final verdict by the PCB is, and hope whatever course of action is taken, it is for the best of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755’s cricket and its future.
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