Why announce Yousuf's removal now: Ex-players

Karachi:

Former Pakistan cricketers have questioned the timing of PCB chairman Ejaz Butt's statement that Mohammad Yousuf would be removed from captaincy after the Australia series.

Aamer Sohail, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Moin Khan argued that even if cricket board felt that Yousuf is not good enough to captain the side, they should have waited for the team to return home from Australia.

"Why to announce this in the middle of the Australia tour? What's the urgency?" Sohail said.

"Even if the board thought that Yousuf is not good enough to captain the team, they should have waited till their return," said Inzamam.

PCB chairman Ejaz Butt had announced on Friday that the board would change the captain and also appoint a batting and fielding coach with the team after the Australian tour.

"We appointed Yousuf only for the New Zealand and Australian tours and we will look at a new captain now," Butt said.

Sohail, a former opener, pointed out that already the team is struggling to get out of its losing streak in Australia and this announcement would further leave Yousuf incapable of motivating the team in the ongoing one-day series.

Former captain Inzamam added that board should have refrained from making such a decision public and it would only add to the chaos and confusion in the team.

"Ever since, the team had gone to New Zealand and Australia, there is total chaos and lack of communication between the team management, selectors and board. This is another example of that lack of communication, which will only contribute to the team's poor show," Inzamam said.

Former wicket-keeper batsman Moin said that while Yousuf had shown himself to be a docile captain on the field, the announcement at this stage would leave the team further disjointed.

"He accepted the captaincy at a time when no one was willing to do it and he has given his best, but same is also true that he lacked the aggression required in Australia to win matches," Moin said.

"But this does not mean that the board should announce that they will change the captain after the Australian tour. It will leave the team further disjointed and dispirited," he added.

With former skipper Younus Khan also making it clear that he is no longer interested in captaining the team again, many others pointed out that PCB would face a tough time finding a new captain to replace Yousuf atleast for the Test matches.

"Pakistan is scheduled to play nine Tests this year against top teams like Australia, England and South Africa, while they can opt for Shahid Afridi to captain the one-day side if Younus does not want the captaincy again, the board would find it difficult to find Yousuf's replacement," a former player noted.