Who should be made the captain?

BY SALEEM KHALIQ_x000D_
_x000D_
“Shaan Masood is being removed from the captaincy”_x000D_
_x000D_
“Shaan Masood to remain captain for the next series”_x000D_
_x000D_
For a long time now, you must have been seeing these two headlines at different times. Before every Test series in Pakistan, there are talks of a change in leadership, but due to the lack of suitable options, the decision is postponed. Now, before the tour of the West Indies and England, this topic has come up again. Pakistani News_x000D_
_x000D_
Since March 2022, the team has participated in 12 Test series and won only 2, one of which was against Sri Lanka and the other against England on home grounds. Its Man of the Series should also be declared by “Pankhon”, when after losing the first match, pitches were made that looked like the fifth day from the beginning._x000D_
_x000D_
Pakistan lost 6 series while 4 were drawn, we lost 2 series to Bangladesh, although Babar Azam could not impress as captain, but in December 2023, when Shan Masood got the captaincy, the team was successful against Sri Lanka in the last series before that._x000D_
Shan is a highly educated and very determined personality, as a batsman he improved significantly in his performance but was not successful in leadership, defeats in 12 out of 16 Test matches and only 4 victories make him the second most unsuccessful captain of the country, Misbah-ul-Haq is at the top with 19 defeats but he got them in 56 matches._x000D_
_x000D_
Shan tried hard but could not get support from some senior teammates as a captain, he would chat with them, go to dinner but perhaps he was not accepted as a captain wholeheartedly, his soft attitude on the field also proved to be detrimental._x000D_
_x000D_
Don’t go too far, just look at the series with Bangladesh, when no one was cooperating with him even in the review. If we look at the individual performance of the players since January 1, 2024, Shaan is second after Mohammad Rizwan (1080) with 910 runs. During this period, Babar Azam scored only 632 runs at an average of 28._x000D_
_x000D_
We are eighth in the ranking of 10 Test teams. There is a player from Zimbabwe in the top 18 batters, but not a Pakistani. Only one of our players, Noman Ali (7), is seen in the top 26 bowlers. In such a situation, even if you make Steva the captain, he cannot win this team. When the players themselves do nothing, what good can it be? Pakistani News_x000D_
_x000D_
In every ICC Test Championship, we dream of playing the final and end up at the bottom, still eighth among 9 teams._x000D_
I also think that Shan Masood should not continue as captain anymore, the board had decided but Shan himself requested that he be given opportunities in West Indies and England as well, look what happens now but just being a good person is not enough, even during a relationship it is seen that a boy is good but how much does he earn?_x000D_
_x000D_
Results are seen in cricket, however, the lack of options always comes in the way, Babar Azam has proven to be a failure as captain, should he be brought back again?_x000D_
_x000D_
Shaheen Shah Afridi has been out of the Test plans, this option is also gone, now Salman Ali Agha is the only one left, his performance has been good in the last three years, Salman is at number 2 with 1127 runs among the top three Pakistani batsmen from 2023 to 2026, Mohammad Rizwan is at number 1188 and Shan Masood is at number 3 with 1107 runs, no other player has scored even 1000 runs during this time._x000D_
_x000D_
Salman failed as a captain in T20 and is unlikely to play this type of international cricket again, now it is not known how he will perform in Tests as a leader._x000D_
_x000D_
Recently, there were reports that Salman refused to become the captain, but there is no truth in them, he will have to bring consistency in his individual performance, some people will also mention Rizwan’s name, but with increasing age, it is clear that his reflexes as a wicketkeeper are not what they used to be, and inconsistency in batting has also become noticeable._x000D_
_x000D_
It is also said about Rizwan that he is not what he seems, the board will hardly make him the captain, Saud Shakeel used to look like a lion at home and a failure away, now his career is a shambles, in such a situation, if Shaan is removed, Salman seems more likely to get the responsibility._x000D_
_x000D_
Along with leadership, the issue of selection should also be looked at. We are not getting players like in the past from domestic cricket anymore. Repeated experiments have corrupted the system. Just as Azan Owais and Abdullah Fazal performed well in batting, give opportunities to other youngsters as well, but don’t rush them and let them prepare first._x000D_
_x000D_
Feed young bowlers along with aging spinners. Find real fast bowlers who can scare the opposing batters. Pacers who get tired after a few overs can’t do anything. It is a good move to include a condition of playing first-class matches in the central contract. Only when the players play four-day matches will they be able to bat for a long time and bowl long spells._x000D_
_x000D_
We should accept the fact that we have fallen behind Bangladesh in the field of fast bowling. After finding genuine pacers, make their fitness such that they do not sit down after 2 matches due to injuries. There are 2 Tests in West Indies and then 3 in England. Think about improving them._x000D_
_x000D_
Sarfaraz Ahmed has the best cricketing mind. If you give him a free hand, he can improve. Tests are still called the real format of cricket. The team’s recent poor performance in this is unacceptable. It should be fixed soon. Otherwise, if the ICC accepts the proposal of a two-tier Test Championship, So we will have to play Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Ireland and Afghanistan again. After that, you can imagine what the future of Test cricket in the country will be like. (Courtesy EXPRESS NEWS)