PCB under fire for appointing Yousuf as Test skipper

LAHORE, Nov 12: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is under fire for appointing Mohammad Yousuf as the captain of the Test team.

Former players and officials have criticized the PCB for the sudden change in the leadership and blamed the board for not standing by Younus Khan, who has been going through a rough patch in his career.

Former opening batsman Aamir Sohail said the PCB should have supported Khan following reports of some senior players volleying against him.

“The same PCB had given full support to Younus some two weeks ago following the National Assembly row and should have once again conveyed a warning to the rebel players to either support the captain or go out,” The Dawn quoted Sohail, as saying.

“I think this old culture and problem of player-power should be rooted out completely from Pakistan cricket. If any player or players think they are bigger than the team, they should be dropped at once,” he added.

Sohail raised questions over the PCB’s way of handling issues saying the board had snubbed Yousuf earlier and had appointed Shoaib Malik the captain of the squad.

“When Yousuf was not good enough then, howcome the PCB finds him suitable for leadership now?” he questioned.

Former chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed came down hard on board chairman Ijaz Butt for his unprofessional way of handling things at the apex cricket authority in the country.

“The way Ijaz Butt has changed three skippers in one year’s time and sent home legendary former Test cricketers like Javed Miandad, Abdul Qadir, Aamir Sohail one after the other from the PCB offices proves his inability to hold such an important post in Pakistan cricket,” Ahmed said.

He said the board should have sent a ‘no-nonsense’ message to the players who were complaining against Younus Khan’s leadership.

Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, however, has criticised Khan for opting out of the Test series against the Kiwis.

He said it is not right for a captain to leave his team in a lurch during a much important series.
Younus concedes there were problems with teammates

Giving an insight into the turmoil in the Pakistan cricket team, captain Younus Khan on Thursday conceded that problems with some senior players was the reason why he opted out of the Test tour of New Zealand.

“I was already facing problems with some players and my poor form didn’t help as it is a fact that when the captain is not scoring runs it becomes difficult for him to turn things his way,” Younus said.

“No one ever came to me directly and told me his grievances. Otherwise I would have tried to resolve the issues,” he said.

Younus, who has been replaced as captain by Mohammad Yousuf for the three Tests against New Zealand starting November 24, has taken a break from cricket after Pakistan’s One-Day series loss to the Kiwis.

The senior batsman said though he wants to play for Pakistan, he had no idea where his career was heading.

“Only time will tell what happens and where my career goes. But I have every intention of wanting to play for Pakistan again,” he said. (PTI)