IS THIS THE WAY TO SHOW DOOR TO A NATIONAL HERO

IS THIS THE WAY TO SHOW DOOR TO A NATIONAL HERO by Arshad Chughtai

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DateLine: 19th April 2010

Pakistan is perhaps the only country where some of its most successful test cricketers had been compelled by circumstances to prematurely retire. If one glances into 58 years of country's test cricket history (1952 to date) it is full of such tragic events bringing the end to what other wise had been glorious and illustrious careers of these heroes. Notably among these are the names of Fazal Mehmood, Imtiaz Ahmed, Hanif Mohammad, Saeed Ahmed, Mushtaq Mohammad, Mohsin Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad,Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shoaib Mohammad, Saeed Anwar, Wasim Akram and some others.

MOST RECENT ADDITION TO THE LIST
The most recent addition to this unique club is Pakistan's former captain Mohammad Yousuf, presently the only Pakistan batsman to hold a world record in test cricket.

THE WORLD RECORD
Mohammad Yousuf scored 1788 runs at amazing average of 99.33 in the calendar year 2006 and by virtue which surpassed Sir Vivan Richard's record of 1710 runs which had stood for 30 years He achieved this record aggregate with a tally of nine hundreds. This performance made him ICC'S player of the year 2007. His number of centuries (Nine) bettered the previous calendar -year record of Seven held by VivRichards(1976) and Aravinda Desilva (1997).

INTERNATIONAL CAREER
Born on August 27'1974 Yousuf made his debut against South Africa in1998: He played 88 Tests and Scored 7,431 runs at an average of 53.07 including 24 centuries and 32 half centuries. His aggregate is third highest after Javed Miandad (8832 in 124 tests) and Inzamam ul Haq (8,829 in 119 tests)- Pakistan's all time highest run getters. He also scored 9,624in 282 ODI,s which is only second to Pakistan's record of 11,701 runs in 375 matches achieved by Inzaman ul Haq. His tally of 24 test centuries is only second most number of centuries in a test career after Inzamam ul Haq's record of 25 test centuries.

THE BAN AND BACK GROUND
Following the disastrous tour of Australia the PCB imposed an indefinite ban on Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan and barred the two former skippers from selection for indefinite period accusing the infighting between the two was one of the reason of Pakistan team's down fall.

PCB'S DECISION HURT YOUSUF AND HIS FANS
The 35 years old classical middle order batsman claimed that he had never any grudge or fight with Younis, but both had supplemented each other on the tour of Australia, so there was no reason for fighting. He however has expressed that his commitment in playing for the country had not been rewarded by the Cricket authorities and that he was deeply hurt.

INCONSISTENT POLICIES CAUSE OF PAKISTAN CRICKET'S DECLINE
It is irony of our fate that while the country has long suffered from political instability the Cricket Board's Policies too have remained inconsistent for most of the eras except when one of our pioneers Abdul Hafeez Kardar in the beginning and a quarter century later famous all-rounder Imran Khan were guiding Pakistan Cricket. But then men of great wisdom, acumen and vision like justice Alvin Robert Cornelius and Air Marshall (Retired) Noor Khan were PCB's Chairmen in those days of Pakistan's phenomenal rise and glory. Pitiably PCB's own performance ever since the Oval Fiasco in 2006 has remained awfully unsatisfactory and perhaps is the root cause of Pakistan Crickets continued decline.

TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF BOARD'S RUNNING OF AFFAIRS
A typical example of Board's running of affairs is that instead it should have constituted an independent commission to probe into Pakistan's dismal performance in Australia they had appointed an investigation committee mostly comprising of Boardquote s own officials. Former test cricketer and chief Selector Salahuddin Ahmed had expressed that formation of such a probe committee was an embarrassment to Pakistan Cricket. A leading newspaper severly criticized the situation in its editorial "Self Serving PCB" and raised a pertinent point that while on the tour manager and coaches have remained silent instead of nipping problems in the bud.

NO PREVIOUS EXAMPLE OF SUCH A HARSH TREATMENT
There is no previous example in entire cricket history for a team's Captain to be blamed and punished in the manner. The board has so far failed to explain and give any cogent reason for the penalty awarded. In fact one member of the Inquiry Committee was manager of the team on Sri Lanka's tour in 2009. Now if the blame of infighting is correct than what this gentleman was doing during his occupancy as a Manager? Apparently the blame is vague and is only to make these players escape goat to cover Board's own mismanagement and incompetence.

GRUDGE AND GRIEVANCES WERE IN THE PAST TOO
Assuming that if at all there were differences between the players than the Board should have shown some respect, decency and maturity to handle the issue with the realization that such issues were there in the past too. To quote a few players involving differences names of many legends should readily come to mind and may include names of even such great players like AH Kardar, Fazal Mohammad, Imtiaz Ahmed, Hanif Mohammad, Saeed Ahmed, Javed Miandad, Waseem Akram, Mushtaq Mohammad and so many others. But never before the issue had been blown to the extent and a mockery of the situation was made like this.

CONTROVERSIES AND RESENTMENT ARE PART OF THE GAME FROM EARLY HISTORY
Not alone in Pakistan such issues exist in other countries also. Resentment and controversies especially over the captaincy existed even in the decades of 1960s and 1970s when cricket was not so much commercialized as it is today. For instance late Sir Colin Cowdrey had expressed his resentment over being ignored as a captain for tour of Australia in 1962-63 and in 1970-71. ERB Dexter lead England in 1962-63 and Ray Illingworth in 1970-71, Colin Cowdrey was Vice captain in Australia three times. Again England had three captains in their home series against the West Indies in 1966- MC Cowdrey, MJK Smith and DB Close.

PAKISTAN'S POOR RECORD IN AUSTRALIA
For the sake of record it was just not Mohammad Yousuf's team which had flopped on recent tour of Australia but Pakistan's previous performances in Australia were no exception barring three. The series in 1964-65, 1976-77 and 1978-79 were drawn whereas all the seven series in 1972-73, 1981-82, 1983-84, 1989-90, 1995-96, 1999-2000 and 2004-2005 were lost. Incidentally Pakistan has also never won a test series in West Indies and South Africa so far.

YOUSUF STILL IS THE MAIN STAY OF PAKISTAN BATTING
No doubt Mohammad Yousuf's performance in the last three test series viz against Srilanka, New Zealand and Australia was not according to his own standard, yet he made some useful contributions with the scores of 112 & 90 in Srilanka, 41,83 & 89 in New Zealand and 61 & 46 in Australia all in trying conditions. He certainly is still the main stay of Pakistan batting.

MOHSIN'S WORD OF WISDOM
Chief Selector Mohsin Hassan Khan believes that Mohammad Yousuf's decision to retire has come as a huge blow to his plans. Immediately after the decision of retirement Mohsin is quoted saying that Yousuf should change his decision of retiring from Cricket and should appeal against his ban.

YOUSUF SHOULD RETURN AND PCB NEED TO SETTLE THE ISSUE WITH GRACE AND MAGNAMITY
In the larger interest of Pakistan Cricket and the National interest Mohammad Yousuf should review his decision of retirement and make himself available for Pakistan team and also make an appeal to PCB against the ban. It is also prudent that the PCB should also show due respect to the World record holder, review the situation and settle the issue with grace and magnamity in the best interest of Pakistan Cricket.

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