PCB need rethinking on selection of playing eleven
KARACHI: A new Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) policy that gives a ‘greater’ role to national selectors in decisions over the playing eleven has so far failed to yield the desired results, writes Khalid Hussain.
The PCB recently decided that a selector would be made a part of a think tank that chooses a playing eleven for a Test or a One-day International (ODI) in an apparent bid to curb the powerful role of senior players in such decision-making.
The move seemingly came on the basis of evidence that in the past couple of seasons, Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq had been literally dictating terms while selecting a playing eleven.
The new policy was introduced ahead of the second Pakistan-West Indies Test in Multan and repeated again before the ongoing match in Karachi. On both occasions, the lone selector was out-voted by the combination of Inzamam and coach Bob Woolmer.
‘The News’ has learnt that before the Karachi Test, the think tank met to decide the playing line-up for the match with chief selector Wasim Bari joining the team management. Bari wanted fast bowler Mohammad Sami to be included in the playing eleven in place of medium pacer Abdul Razzaq. Bari believed that on a low-bounced National Stadium track, Sami would be far more effective than Razzaq, whose bowling has been pretty unimpressive in this series. He thought that since Sami has genuine pace and his deliveries tend to skid, he could be useful in the given conditions.
But he was vetoed by the team management which wanted to retain Razzaq after his innings of 80 which helped Pakistan save the second Test in Multan.
Razzaq was also the bone of contention between the selector and the team management before the Multan Test when the all-rounder’s place in the team was doubtful following a poor outing in a nine-wicket Pakistan win in the Lahore Test.
The selector wanted Razzaq out in favour of a specialist bowler — either young medium pacer Samiullah Niazi or uncapped spinner Abdul Rehman. But the team management, especially Inzamam, backed Razzaq.
It is an open secret that Razzaq is a close friend of Inzamam and some insiders say the association is the reason why the under-performing Razzaq has been able to avoid the axe in spite of a mediocre showing in the best part of 2006.
In the ongoing Karachi Test, Razzaq made a painstaking 7 from 50 balls in the first innings and appeared quite harmless in the 16 overs he bowled during the West Indian innings, taking 1-44. The sole wicket was almost gifted to him by wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin, who went for a wide one only to edge it into the gloves of Kamran Akmal on Wednesday.
Razzaq was not the only one whose inclusion in the Karachi Test squad faced opposition. Questions were also raised over medium pacer Shahid Nazir who had little hopes on a wicket that is low and slow.
Shahid has performed impressively in England and also did well in the Lahore Test but one doesn’t need an expert to tell that he would struggle on a wicket with such a low bounce as being witnessed in Karachi presently.
“Pakistan are playing in this Test with just two bowlers who can do well on this kind of track — Umar Gul and Danish Kaneria,” said a former Test cricketer. “It is not a positive approach,” he added.
The News
Would it be fair to say that because of Mr Inzmam more deserving players have not been selected and no outstanding players produced by Pakistan apart from maybe Asif over the past few years.
