So Malik’s tenure officially ends on December 31st (or has since 2008 is over in Pakistan) and we haven’t heard anything on his future yet from PCB. However there are strong signals that his tenure will be renewed.
Those who are in favor of PCB extending his tenure are claiming that because Pakistan didn’t play a single test this year therefore Malik should be provided another chance in 2009. Thats fine but then why we have witnessed some strong opposition against him as a captain in the past several months? May be those opposing him might have judged his limited or no talent as a leader of a national side?
I have strongly opposed Malik’s automatic selection in the test squad. In my opinion he doesn’t deserve to be an automatic pick in the test squad just because he is the captain. I have said it before as well and will say it agian. Why can’t we have 2 separate captains for the ODI and Test squad? Let Malik be the captain of the ODI squad since he does qualify for that format on merit and let someone like Misbah be the captain of the test squad.
Ijaz Butt, the PCB chairman, has suggested that Shoaib Malik will stay on as captain of Pakistan in 2009 despite calls for him to be replaced. Malik’s performance was due to be reviewed on December 31, 2008 - when his tenure was originally supposed to end - but it’s highly likely he will be retained, especially after gaining Butt’s vote of confidence.
“Shoaib Malik will remain as the Pakistan captain till the time he continues to deliver,” Butt was quoted as saying in the News. “I believe that he has done a good job in recent times.”
Wrote a 2-paragraph response which is all gone now. Starting over.
Well, where to start. PCB already looked at option two, which was three times last year. Option 2 was Younis Khan. I still believe that Younis’s fallout was with the Nasim Ashraf regime and if he would be approached now, he may take the position, if offered. But it is unlikely and Malik will retain. Does PCB have resources to book two separate captains for ODI and Test squad? Does PCB possess an outside-the-box thinking?
FKhan2 Bhai, you mentioned that Malik should not be in the Test team because he is not an automatic entry. Here is a counter-argument, have we played enough cricket (tests and ODI’s combined) to determine these factors? And above it all, does PCB have free thinkers in their staff to implement such a change, to have two separate captains? Pakistan is far from the route of England/India, Pakistan have to play regular cricket to stay regular on the cricket scene. Shoaib Malik has his downfalls, he failed to give youngsters a chance when they were selected on the team on merit, he used himself and other senior players to bowl full quota of overs in games against Zimbabwe/Bangladesh, which puts him at a disadvantage. Yet, Pakistan have just not played enough cricket to determine concrete variables.
Shoaib Malik, I am afraid (for the lack of a better word) is going to stay captain until or after Australia series in November 2009, because that is the true test. I don’t see PCB changing shops between now and then. I would be surprised to see them give the charge to Younis Khan or Misbah but they would rather prefer one captain to present the “gelling well with the team” factor. Before Intikhab Alam became coach, he publicly voiced his displeasure against Malik. Afterwards, he stated: “I am crystal clear in my mind that Malik should continue as captain.”
LAHORE: Pakistan’s chief selector Abdul Qadir has a strong opinion, and often misfires something which is either totally against the policies of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) or unacceptable in the local culture.
Qadir has strongly opposed the idea of retaining Shoaib Malik as captain for both Tests and one-day cricket, saying he respects PCB chairman Ijaz Butt’s view, but still feel that there should be separate captains for Tests and ODIs.
Butt had hinted Malik would continue as captain after his tenure expired on December 31.
“I have been saying there should be separate captains for Tests and ODIs,” reiterated, Qadir which many believe will create disharmony in the team. Butt denied there was any suggestion of having separate captains with the governing Board which will give a final decision on Malik’s captaincy.
Qadir said there will be dual benefits of having separate captains. “The Test and ODI captains will search for talents and will not feel the burden.”
Re: Should Malik be the Test & ODI captain or should PCB look for other options?
Well, in the end, it boiled down to a decision made by one man supposedly running PCB who is absolutely clueless of international and domestic affairs other than permanently stamping Shoaib Malik for an "indefinite period of time" without as much as taking the opinion of other PCB officials/board members which in turn saw six officials resign.
Just a farce in the end, nothing less. With Ejaz Butt at the helm running things single-handedly, the potential that was discussed in this thread of having separate ODI/Test captains seems far, far away, from the way the decision was made by a one-man army.
Personally I don't think Malik automatically selects himself in the test team. His test credentials are debatable. He is good enough though to be in our present one-day and T-20 teams
Re: Should Malik be the Test & ODI captain or should PCB look for other options?
Since PCB is in love with Malik, there's no choice. Anyways, if you look at his stats, he's played only 3 test matches as captain, lost two and one draw. And in ODI's his stats aren't bad, 23 wins in 33 ODIs (but against good teams, 7 wins in 17 matches). But his personal stats batting wise aren't bad.