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Asif Named Pakistan Vice-Captain
- Thread starter Burgey
- Start date
Fusion
Global Moderator
Ok, then conversely, should he be handed the captaincy just because he's an experienced player? Is that a valid criteria for selecting a Captain? I haven't seen anything in the past out of Yousaf to suggest he would make a good captain. On the other hand, plenty of people who've worked with Malik say that he could become a good Captain, including the late Bob Woolmer. SJS, you seem to have made up your mind that Yousaf wasn't given the captaincy due to him being too religious for the board's liking. While that fact may have played a part in the decision, I don't think it was the only reason. I honestly believe the board didn't think too highly of his captaincy potential. After Younis declined the post, they decided to go in a completely new (meaning young) direction.
Fusion
Global Moderator
Yes but Yousaf is seen as being "extra" religious. He, along with Inzi, Mushy, and Afridi, formed a core group of players/coaches that were criticized for focusing too much on religion at the expense of cricket. Again, I don't think this fact played that big a role in Yousaf being passed over for Captaincy. I just don't think he makes a good captain.
Fusion
Global Moderator
Has become so over the last few years. As with his batting, his religious practice is hit and miss.Haha, Afridi? Religious?
haroon510
International 12th Man
u think that might be a reason why Shahid isn't the vice captain. in domestic cricket he is one of the best captain along with Malik. considering that and his exprince i thought he should have given a chance. maybe with responsiblity in his shoulders, he become a better player and play responsibly.
PhoenixFire
International Coach
Or maybe it will all go to his head, and he'll become more reckless than before.
Pup Clarke
Cricketer Of The Year
As if that's possible...
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
On the contrary. My friends in Pakistan tell me he converted BECAUSE without that he stood no chance of being accepted as captain. This took many of those who didnt want him to be captain, his being a non-muslim being the issue then, still dont want him.
His being more Muslim (in his demeanour and pronouncements since conversion) than born-Muslims is considered by some as a sham.
Who knows ??
Fusion
Global Moderator
With all due respect, do your friends in Pakistan work for the PCB? If no, then they're merely speculating. Wrongly and distastefully IMO.On the contrary. My friends in Pakistan tell me he converted BECAUSE without that he stood no chance of being accepted as captain. This took many of those who didnt want him to be captain, his being a non-muslim being the issue then, still dont want him.
His being more Muslim (in his demeanour and pronouncements since conversion) than born-Muslims is considered by some as a sham.
Who knows ??
hehe !
Well I am always kool but seriously Pakistan has 4 relatively good batsmen . And I guess it's only Shoaib Malik in this lot who really plays his part as a match player and others just hang around in the middle and relatively dull portion of the game . Pakistani opening solution can be solved only in one way and that way is to get the lazy middle order spinner bullies to open along with a youngster and then one other big batsman should come as a one down and then shuffle the new one's with the old ones in the middle order .
P.S.dang it I am kool and i am only mad at some scalys and cc's and hmmm some wiered new comers !!!!
R_D
International Debutant
I've heard those rumours before and wouldn't be suprised if they aren't much of rumours.On the contrary. My friends in Pakistan tell me he converted BECAUSE without that he stood no chance of being accepted as captain. This took many of those who didnt want him to be captain, his being a non-muslim being the issue then, still dont want him.
His being more Muslim (in his demeanour and pronouncements since conversion) than born-Muslims is considered by some as a sham.
Who knows ??
pasag
RTDAS
I don't believe that tbh. Sounds rather silly to even consider that tbh.On the contrary. My friends in Pakistan tell me he converted BECAUSE without that he stood no chance of being accepted as captain. This took many of those who didnt want him to be captain, his being a non-muslim being the issue then, still dont want him.
His being more Muslim (in his demeanour and pronouncements since conversion) than born-Muslims is considered by some as a sham.
Who knows ??
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
possible.
Anyway. Forget my Pakistani friends. Read some of this
- The real motives for Yousuf's conversion to Islam may never become clear.
Perhaps it was his desire to be a part of the pack. Or maybe, as the rumour goes, one of the preachers told him that he was the only thing standing between God and his team.
Whatever the reasons, the team finally had the "uniformity of thought" the preachers had sought.
- Aamer Ahmed Khan BBC News Karachi
and this :-According to some, Yousuf's decision to convert was in part motivated by an eagerness to blend in with the team and improve his captaincy chances. But that theory was dismissed at the time by the Pakistan board and queried by Woolmer, who described his players as tolerant towards other faiths
- Alex Brown The Guardian London
and this :-at the age of 31 he is very much in his prime. Inzamam-ul-Haq is unlikely to play on much beyond the next World Cup, which means that there could be a captaincy vacancy in the not-so-distant future. Cynics have suggested that may have his main motivation for conversion, while critics would tell you he's not the sharpest tool in the box at any rate. But if Pakistan are in need of a man who'll lead by example then, on current form, they need not look any further.
- Andrew Miller, UK Editor, Cricinfo
and this :-“When Youhana has substituted for Inzamam, his captaincy has been imaginative and astute, but highly placed insiders claim that Youhana is too self-serving to win the players’ confidence. His religion too makes the calculus more complex, when it should not even be a factor”.
-Kamran Abbasi, Wisden Asia Cricket (October 2004)
and this :-Inzamam was, is, and always will be a bad choice as captain.
The PCB says it has no other options. Yousuf Youhana is thought to be a schemer, not trusted by some of his team-mates, and others are shamefully reluctant to be led by a captain from a minority group.
- Kamran Abbasi cricinfo (April 2004)
and this :-"one major factor that will have to come under scrutiny is the atmosphere in the dressing room. To be more precise, whether the overt and not-so-overt display of religiosity has been a distraction of sorts and taken away from the real job: that of playing cricket and focusing on the game".
"There have been numerous reports of team activity which, if true, would indicate that the job of playing matches was apparently not the top priority of some members. This needs to stop, and whoever runs the PCB should send this message loud and clear to the team and the new captain: religion is and should be a private matter and not something that needs to be worn on one's sleeve, as some members have been doing.
"The point is, by all means if a particular team member wishes to become devout and turn to faith he should, but not at the expense of the team's performance. The suitable thing then would be to retire from the team and pursue the other matter."
- The News, Pakistan
If you need more just say so.
These are not bloggers. These are respected cricket writers writing for very respected establishments. So just dismissing all this as mere rumours and being 'distatseful' doesnt do anything to make it go away.
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
While on the subject of conversions, it is a lesser known fact that an Indian player converted to Christianty.
A G Kripal Singh made his debut as a full fledged Sikh with a full complement of the mandatory untrimmed beard and whiskers and a turban on his head.
He had a great start too scoring an unbeaten 100 on debut against the touring Kiwis in November 1955. He appears to have matched the well establishe Umrigar stroke for stroke in a 171 run partnership for the 4th wicket.
He then joined an increasing list of Indian debutant century makers who failed to score another one in their careers. (The jinx started with Lala Amarnath in the 1930's and was broken by Vishwanath in the 70's).
Kripal Singh played again for India as a clean shaven Christian. He apparently did not even change his name but according to some sources he changed what his initials AG stood for, from 'Amritsar Govindsingh' to 'Arnold George'.
He was the first person to play test cricket under two faiths and Yousuf became the second. However, unlike Yousuf, AG Kripal Singh changed his religion to please the Christian girl he wanted to marry.
Also unlike Yousuf, his luck/form deserted him after conversion. He was a very fine off spinner and considered a keen student of the game. He was considered captaincy material but his 'errant' ways off the field did not help him achieve that.
He served for long as a selector before his sudden death at a relatively young age of 54.
A G Kripal Singh made his debut as a full fledged Sikh with a full complement of the mandatory untrimmed beard and whiskers and a turban on his head.
He had a great start too scoring an unbeaten 100 on debut against the touring Kiwis in November 1955. He appears to have matched the well establishe Umrigar stroke for stroke in a 171 run partnership for the 4th wicket.
He then joined an increasing list of Indian debutant century makers who failed to score another one in their careers. (The jinx started with Lala Amarnath in the 1930's and was broken by Vishwanath in the 70's).
Kripal Singh played again for India as a clean shaven Christian. He apparently did not even change his name but according to some sources he changed what his initials AG stood for, from 'Amritsar Govindsingh' to 'Arnold George'.
He was the first person to play test cricket under two faiths and Yousuf became the second. However, unlike Yousuf, AG Kripal Singh changed his religion to please the Christian girl he wanted to marry.
Also unlike Yousuf, his luck/form deserted him after conversion. He was a very fine off spinner and considered a keen student of the game. He was considered captaincy material but his 'errant' ways off the field did not help him achieve that.
He served for long as a selector before his sudden death at a relatively young age of 54.
chaminda_00
Hall of Fame Member
I think the whole religious aspect would hold more ground, if Yousuf was a stand out choice for captain and should previously that he was a good captain. He does have some positives when it comes to being a potential captain i.e his experienced, a senior player, captained before and one of their best, if not their best player, he can lead by example. But the core issue is whether he actually did a good job when he was captained and showed signs he could get something extra out of a talent bunch of players. Really if you look core ability as just captain and forgot everything else he falls short.
From what i've read recently about Shoaib Malik, his shown a lot captaincy potential at domestic level then what Yousuf should when he had captaincy last. I read such comments such as a being a born leader, something not many would say about Yousuf.
Ok maybe some religious aspect had to do with his non selection, but really the main reason it would seem is the fact that his not a good captain and not really the man capable of getting Pakistan out of their current position.
Maybe Malik will prove to be a failure, but surely its better to give someone the captaincy that has shown potential to be a good captain, rather then someone who shown that they are unimaginative captain. So often teams just give the captaincy to someone who is the most experience, but not really someone with geniune captaincy potential.
When it comes to vice captaincy it seems like is a roational position, so really its not that big of deal that Asif got a run at it first. It doesn't seem his got the position long term yet. Probably a good move to rotate it round, due to lack of stand out options.
TT Boy
Hall of Fame Member
Not really, it has been suggested that Rana Naved was only selected for the World Cup for he was a member of Tablighi Jamaat. An Islamic movement which has taken a hold of the Pakistani side from former captain to assistant coach.
Also, hasn't Inzy’s ‘favourite’ Danish Kaneria converted to Islam?