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.”