KARACHI, Jan 28: Former Pakistan cricket greats on Wednesday welcomed new captain Younis Khan as a chance to revive team fortunes after miserable results under the outgoing Shoaib Malik.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Tuesday replaced Malik with senior batsman Younus following the home team’s 234-run mauling at the hands of Sri Lanka, which gave the visiting side a 2-1 one-day series win.

Former Test captain Imran Khan said Younis commands respect.

“Younis has one big advantage over others in that he is the best batsman in the team and is respected by fellow players because he gives his best and can demand the same from others,” Imran said.

But Imran criticised indefinite appointments. “I was the most successful captain but was never appointed for more than one series. I think a captain should be judged after every series,” opined Imran, who led Pakistan in 48 Tests and 139 one-day internationals.

Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq said Malik had not lived up to expectations.

“Malik failed to handle the players in the team,” said Inzamam, who was replaced by Malik after Pakistan’s first-round exit from the 2007 World Cup. “A good captain is not about winning and losing, it’s also proper handling of the players.

“I hope Younis leads the team for a longer period because frequent changes are not good for the team. Younis must perform well, as he has done, so that he can command respect and can ask others to perform well.”

Fellow former captain Zaheer Abbas also welcomed the decision.

“We didn’t have desirable results under Malik,” said Zaheer. “At times, a change at the top changes luck and we can only hope that the team produces good results under Younis.”Zaheer also said it would also be up to other players to revive spirits.

“Not just the captain, but the other 10 players in the team need to show their best so it looks like a unit,” he said.

Pakistan, which did not play a single Test match last year due to security concerns of foreign teams, is scheduled to play two tests against Sri Lanka next month and Zaheer said he would like to see Malik retained as a player.

“We don’t have many choices and Malik should be included in the team as an all-rounder.”

Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed said he hoped Malik would emerge a stronger player after being relieved of the captaincy.

“It wasn’t easy taking the decision but we had to better the team. I hope Malik emerges stronger from this and does his best for the team in future,” said Yawar.

Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja advised Younis to respect the position.

“I see the change as a test and trial time for Pakistan cricket. Now Younis needs to show more respect to the office of captaincy,” said Ramiz.

Former Pakistan paceman Sarfraz Nawaz raised question marks on Malik’s fitness, but also felt he should be kept in the squad.

“He [Malik] didn’t play two Test matches in India [in 2007] as he got unfit after Pakistan lost the first Test,” Sarfraz said. “But if he is fully fit he should be part of the Test side.”

He believed the previous PCB administration under chairman Dr Nasim Ashraf erred in appointing Malik as captain for two years ago.

“It was a wrong decision because there were big question marks on his fitness at that time too,” he stated. “He couldn’t field the right combination against strong opponents which led Pakistan to defeats.”

The PCB had recently given the team management – comprising captain, coach and manager – the authority to select the final playing eleven from the 15-member squad.

“It’s a wrong practice, selection committee should have its say in selecting the final playing eleven so that everybody should be accountable,” Sarfraz added.

Malik captained in 36 limited-overs games after being appointed at a time of crisis in Pakistan cricket following the first-round exit from the 2007 World Cup and the death of coach Bob Woolmer. He won 24 and lost 12.

However, most of his victories came against lowly ranked Zimbabwe and Bangladesh as Pakistan faltered against good teams like South Africa, India and now against Sri Lanka. —Agencies