Pakistan’s uneasy alliance](BBC SPORT | Cricket | Pakistan's uneasy alliance)
I think more professionalism is required to exploit the skills of the players
It will come as a surprise to no-one in Pakistan cricket circles selector Aamir Sohail has clashed with coach Javed Miandad.
The latest in a series of fall-outs came after a squad was chosen for the forthcoming one-day series against New Zealand without Miandad and skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq being consulted.
“Why this insistence on trying to ignore and snub us? What is wrong if they just discuss things with us?” said Miandad.
Frustratingly for Pakistani fans this has happened at a time when things are finally looking promising.
They have just won a Test series against South Africa, but there is no time to bask in the glory of that.
Unlike the disagreements that presumably exist within most other Test nations, any lack of harmony is usually brought to the surface in Pakistan.
Former all-rounder Asif Iqbal sympathises with Miandad.
He told the BBC Sport website: "It’s become a bit of a dictatorial policy.
"The selection committee are saying ‘We think this is the team to take onto the field’ and there is the coach saying ‘Hold on I think there are other things that need to be discussed.’
"Javed, in his role as a coach, has done exceptionally well - there has been a total turn around in performance since he has taken over.
“The selection committee should have at least taken some input from Javed even if they were not prepard to consult with him.”
“It’s hard for him to get the best out of players he is not confident in.”
Tension between Miandad and Sohail goes back to 1996 and the post-World Cup fall-out.
Vice-captain at that point, Sohail said the team would fare better now that Miandad - who had just retired - was “no longer there to meddle in team affairs.”
Two incidents from September 1998 show further frostiness. By now, Miandad was coach, with Sohail as captain.
Salim Malik and Ijaz Ahmed - who were being investigated for alleged match-fixing - were named in the Pakistan side.
Miandad insisted both men were “not guilty” at a news conference.
Sohail, the man who had blown the whistle, sheepishly sidestepped the issue when asked about it.
Soon, however, Sohail became irritated by Miandad’s insistence on having a say on the minute aspects of captaincy.
Journalist Asish Shukla wrote at the time: “The mix is rather incendiary. By nature, each of these two wants to be top dog, he wants to be the sole boss. To work in tandem does not come easy to either of them.”
Predictably, they fell out in a highly-publicised row after defeats at home to Australia and Zimbabwe.
Tempting fate, the Board appointed Miandad and Sohail in a second partnership after the 2003 World Cup debacle.
Miandad was keen to play a role in selection discussions but his wishes were not granted.
Sohail, meanwhile, also spends time commentating on matches, a fact not lost on Asif.
"In that position he is always analysing the performance of the players or the tactics employed by their coach.
“There is a conflict of interests.”
So there is, but the Board will not stop it happening, given that their own chief executive Rameez Raja is also allowed to air his views behind the microphone.
