Younis is a great captaincy material.....

....and that is why he will never get the regular captaincy of Pakistan (After spurning once before).

His biggest problem is that Younis wants to be another Imran Khan, the legendary warrior, who selected his teams on his own terms and won many a great battle.

However, the PCB will never want a captain who has the potential to become bigger than the organization. Especially after Imran Khan’s experience, whose stature and authoritarian though successful ways made the board officials and selectors look like embarrassed pygmies.

So even as Younis said that if the Board wants him to lead the team, ‘’we needed to sit down and discuss and finalise some things,’’ the PCB hastily announced that Shoaib Malik will be the leader for one more year.

That is a pity because Younis really proved his credentials by ensuring that 0-1 do not become a hugely embarrassing 0-3 in the recent series against India.

To cap it, the PCB have also come down heavily on players writing columns. Probably, they do not want a situation where a senior player or skipper criticizes an inclusion against his will, as had happened during the second test against India when Younis had questioned the presence of an unfit Shoaib in the team.

But this attitude of the PCB will only produce a very docile team. One fears that, with this mindset, losing is going to become a habit with Pakistan.

ENDS

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Below are the links to two others blogs by Atul
http://spiritualsolace.blogspot.com/
http://suckersofworld.blogspot.com/

''Sehwag Selection is about desperation, not inspiration''

That is what Harsha Bhogale had to say in his column for the Indian Express when Selectors chose to look beyond probables.

He also said ‘’so the list of 24 was either a decoy for journalists or a boring academic exercise’’. Well, on both counts he was right as he pointed out to the exclusion of Aakash Chopra.

Undoubtedly, Sehwag is phenomenal on his day, but right now he is certainly not the man in form if we go by his recent domestic performances.

However, Ravi Shastri (in HT) had a different take on the issue as he expressed his elation at Sehwag’s comeback.

‘’I admire Viru for his dash and panache and the initiative he can seize in a matter of few good strokes,'' said the former Indian skipper.

However, at the same time he was not certain if Sehwag would be a part of the eleven as ''that would mean keeping Yuvraj out''.

It is significant because if Laxman, Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dhoni and Yuvraj are to play, it leaves scope for just Wasim Jaffer. The other opener could be either Yuvraj or Dravid. One grappling with bad luck and other with lack of form.

Hopefully, Sehwag will get a chance in the eleven in the first tour game to prove his credentials for the sterner Test ahead on December 26.

However, whether Sehwag is in the eleven or not, there is at least one expert who believes that India has a very good chance down under.

‘’My gut feeling is that Anil Kumble’s team will do quite well in Australia’’, writes Imran Khan, adding that, despite some docile pitches, ''the Indian batting is looking very good as of now''.

We can only say that aapke muhn mein ghee shakkar (An Indian way of expressing thanks hoping that Imran's words will come true). And we also hope that if Sehwag gets a chance, he will recapture the form of 2003-2004 season.

Imran criticises late declaration

It is a mystery to me how subcontinent captains wish to win without risking a little losing it, says Imran Khan about Kumble's late declaration in Bangalore Test. He was talking to NDTV.

Since subcontinent mentality does not allow risking a loss, teams lose many opportunities of winning it, said the former Pakistan Captain.

Imran was emphatic that with ball going up and down so much, India could have declared much earlier. He also said if Pakistan were not going back with a 0-3 series loss, it was only due to an exceptional batting display by Misbah.

However Kumble, in his post match interview, defended the declaration time and said that 45 (actually they were 48) overs were enough and had the light held, India would have won the match.

Akhtar Must Fire But.....

Media Watch -- Dec 6

Possibly the best captain Pakistan ever had, Imran Khan says in a column today that ‘’if Pakistan want to square this series, the man who simply must perform in Bangalore is Shoaib Akhtar.’’

With Pakistan taking just 13 wickets in last three Indian innings, Imran could not be more on target. Akhtar along with Yo-Yo are critical to Pakistan chances in the series.

In what promises to be his last Test series on the Indian soil, Akhtar will be eager to showcase his class but right now it looks that the speedster is toying more with the idea of bowling a maiden out (In a movie), than the Indian batsmen (on the field).

The glitch. Its money honey. As per a Hindustan Times report, he has been offered one crore, but Akhtar has been looking at a rather larger sum of 8 crore. This is something only the top five men command in Indian Movies. The Times of India has come up with the name of the movie as well. Predictably, it is Main aur Meri Himmat!.

Selection Tangle

Meanwhile, the lead story in all the papers today was selection tangle with many media reports describing the selection of 24 probables, just about two weeks before the Australian tour takes off, as an absurdity.

However, injuries to pacers and the fact that selectors are not still convinced about the opening partners of Jaffer were described as a major reason for the delay. According to an Indian Express report, quoting a top Board official, ‘’it is felt that since Vengsarkar's future as chairman is not clear, the finalizing of the tour party was delayed’’.

Chappell liked VRV

It needs courage to say so today but VRV has said it. ‘’After he took over, we had a bowlers’ camp and somehow he (Chappell) liked me,’’ says VRV.

‘’One thing is for sure, he did what he believed in. He believed in youth and we got a taste of international cricket,’’ says VRV in an interview to the Times of India, though he was sensible enough not to go into any controversial aspects of Chappell tenure.