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There will be those that say Afridi spoke out of turn, that he has always lacked tact. But would a player really jeopardise his livelihood by going public with his grouses unless the situation behind the scenes was that dire? -Photo by AFP
By the time Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden retired, having averaged 51.88 as an opening partnership, they had accumulated 208 Test caps, more than 16000 runs and 53 centuries. Had they been born in Pakistan, they’d probably have found themselves on the same scrapheap where the administrators tossed Asim Kamal, who made one of his eight half-centuries (from 12 Tests) in his penultimate game.
Some will take offence at such a statement. But consider this. There was a point in the mid-1990s when Hayden and Langer had less than a dozen caps between them, when they found themselves out in the cold despite prodigious run-scoring feats in domestic cricket. Both sought out Malcolm Speed, then chief executive with the Australian Cricket
Board.
In his book, Hayden writes: “Looking back on it, I’m reminded of the value of face- to-face contact. We now live in an age where people can hide behind emails and text messages, and I’ll always be grateful that meeting was in person.
Speed said later, ‘I was new in the job – Matthew didn’t know me and I didn’t know him, so I suppose he was taking a bit of a risk. But I respected him for doing it. The only other player who approached me for a similar conversation while I was in the job was Justin Langer.’”
Now, ask yourself. Can you imagine a player, say Kamal, having such a discussion with the political appointments who have run Pakistan cricket into the ground over the past few years? Shahid Afridi inspired a World Twenty20 win in 2009 and led Pakistan to their best World Cup performance since 1999. His reward was to be stripped of the
captaincy and to have his central contract suspended.
There will be those that say Afridi spoke out of turn, that he has always lacked tact. But would a player really jeopardise his livelihood by going public with his grouses unless the situation behind the scenes was that dire? Remember that he’s not the only one.
Over the past half-decade, Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan and Shoaib Akhtar have all been disgruntled figures, seniors who felt they were never valued enough.
Ever since Shaharyar Khan left the chairman’s job in the wake of the fiasco at The Oval in 2006, Pakistan cricket has lacked an administrator who can command respect from the players or the world at large. If Ijaz Butt has achieved anything during his time in charge, it’s to make fans of other teams profoundly grateful that their boards – hardly models of governance in some cases – aren’t such a basket case.
The approach to captaincy has resembled a game of passing the parcel at a kids’ birthday party, while little has been done to address batting and fielding frailties that have repeatedly cost the team in recent series. Most of all, the culture of insecurity that Butt has presided over has made it impossible to create a leadership group with the vision to build for the future.
Good coaching and leadership are founded on basic principles. They’re not exotic dark arts. ‘In When Pride Still Mattered’, David Maraniss’ brilliant biography of Vince Lombardi, the legendary American Football coach, his methods are initially explained in a couple of lines. “Repetition was at the core of his coaching philosophy,” he writes.
“Doing the same thing over and over again, whether it was a play or a calisthenic, he believed, would make his boys fearless and instinctive.”
Whatever be the truth of his disagreements with Afridi, Waqar Younis has done a decent job as coach. But for a team that has glaring batting weaknesses, is he the right man for the job in the long term? Even if Waqar were to stay on, a batting coach is imperative.
The likes of Umar Akmal, Asad Shafiq and Azhar Ali are the future but they need the right kind of guidance if they’re ever to fulfil their potential.
I can still recall Shaharyar sitting by himself in the press conference room after Rahul Dravid had spoken to the media following India’s series win at Rawalpindi in 2004.
“He’s not just a wonderful batsman, but such a cultured and polite young man,” he said, voice full of admiration.
“We need to have role models like that.”
Instead, those who could have been talismans for a younger group have spent the intervening years backstabbing each other and acting on whims and fancies. Their insecurities and self-preservation instincts have percolated down to the juniors and the entire culture is as rotten as India’s was before John Wright arrived to take charge as coach in 2000.
Pakistan cricket’s best phase of the past decade also came under a foreign coach, Bob Woolmer. But even an outsider won’t be much use unless the system is cleansed of nepotism. With cricket on home soil still a distant dream, the game’s stewards have to behave even more responsibly. As do those entrusted with choosing the side. Having selectors interested only in picking their relatives or brown-eyed boys isn’t the answer.
No matter who takes charge – independent mind or political stooge – he [or she] has no easy task. The country’s isolation has made it especially difficult to attract the best coaches. Playing at neutral venues deprives the team of both home advantage and raucous support. There are also the political stresses and strains that have seen Pakistani players miss out on Indian Premier League and Champions League riches.
The talent, though, is still there. When one of your fringe bowlers comes in and nearly wins you a World Cup semifinal – as Wahab Riaz did in Mohali – you know it’s not all doom and gloom. And it isn’t as though the past was perfect either.
Even during the golden age of Imran Khan and Javed Miandad, ructions behind the scenes were frequent. The team rose above that to be Asia’s pride for more than a decade. With the right hand on the tiller, there’s no reason why those days can’t come again.
Reply to:
Abdul Ghani!
U r talking about discipline but u forget about the root causes.
Who set up discipline?
An institution, Govt., authority and ruling body but if the same authority does not know the meaning of discipline then do not expect from the bottom.
If PCB was credible then I would have criticised Afridi but in current situation its simply PCB is to be blamed and to be sacked.
Take my words mr. A.Ghani and co. U will regret over Afridi case because Afridi is honest, patriotic, passionate and down to the earth very humble loving pious common man. He is the last HOPE of clean Pakistan Cricket otherwise u will see more fixing and embarrassing events in future.
Lastly, forget about Afridi ball biting etc incidents. What happened to Sachin Tendulkar for ball tampering? Nothing! Michael Atherton ball tampering? Nothing! In every sport like football, boxing, cricket, athletics, there r lot of controversies and this is unfair at this time to blame Afridi. Indeed, we all should fully support Afridi for better future.
Sir Ejaz Butt Rocks !!!!!
How about a joint India- Pakistan cricket team? How wonderful it would be to see such a team play against Australia? I dont think there can be a stronger team that clubs the Indian battig line up with the Pakistani bowling attack!!!
complete reconditioning of PCB is required to put cricket on right path in Pakistan
What you wrote is right. But I believe that it would be hard to understand in a country where every institution has been politicized up to the level that no one could think about success, unless and until he does not a strong lobby within that department or institution and I believe that Afridi has either lost the support of that lobby or never tried to sail in that direction of winds.
Well said…well intended.
I noted a lot of sympthy from our neighbouring country.It is my advise, share your sympthy whome you wish but respect our leadership.The performance of the team was collective not individual. Coach, manager, caption and all others did their best. Now, Afridi was on a tour and he should work with coach and manager and should not get upset and leave. It is not Imran Khan who get max out put from Javaed was very kind and country loving member of our nation. We have rules and guidlines no one should be above those.
I am surprised how disciplinary matter has become national crisis. Players like Afridi have done so much damage to country and the game of cricket. I am amazed, how people have forgotten about his behaviour (caught twice damaging pitch and biting ball!). He is hurt financially that is why he is making so much noise not because of his country. Sohaib Akhtar had similar attitude issue and caused so much problem and embarrassment to pakistan cricket. However, i completely agree with the comments about Butt, he should not be PCB chief. It has be elected person.
Fully agree.
Well written..
The problem is that Nepotism is the DNA of Pakistani Society. This son of a Butt himself is some brother in law of one of the closest Aides to the President of Pakistan.. So if the guys who Butt is surrounded by (selectors, administrators, management guys etc) exercise the same and bring their loved ones on board, who would stop them??
A complete overhauling is needed my friends.. Not only in PCB but in each and every institution. Infact every one of us has to do own accountability before its gets toooooo late.
I have honestly lost hope on Pakistan and it's institutions! A very Sad day for me and all the Pakistani's out there.
WANT AFRIDI BACK……….
afridi did one thing wrong,called a spade aspade
Very well thought and well written article.
I just can say that, we are most talented country in wasting the talent.
PCB must learn to treat players with respect and manage this game in true spirit of cricket.
Brilliantly written!!!!I 100% agree with your views!!!Its high time the PCB is cleansed of the dirt which has caused nothing but disease to our cricket.I hope that very soon some wise men will decide to reconstitute the PCB and maintain the status quo as far as the captain is concerned.Misbah u l Haq is a good player,no doubt.But at nearly 37,he's not the future!Afridi should be re-instated immediately as one day captain and a younger player should be chosen as test captain.We need a good batting coach as well.Its about time some son of a gun does all this for saving Pakistan cricket from further disgrace!!!
We've been seeing a shift in the professional outlook of a cricketer, wherein they have chosen club over country in the IPL. The very reason being the politicisation of the cricket administrative bodies in various cricketing nations, especially India and in the recent times, West Indies.
I guess Afridi should consider renewing his request of rejoing IPL with Deccan Chargers. They need him more badly than PCB.
Excellent and unbiased article which simply narrates unfortunate situation that prevails in Pakistani cricket (may I say true reflection of the state of affairs in the country as a whole) and simply tries to suggest what's needs to be done.
Unfortunately even sane Pakistani knows the causes and the answers but again nepotism is mother of all the problems. Until merit is given the due position, nothing will work.
I totally totally agree with you on this.
Very good article.
The Pakistani cricketers unfortunately do not have the refinement of Indian cricketers and this could be due to their background.
After Imran Khan there is no role model for pakistani cricketers and their behaviour reflects this. Their fragile egos with a chronic deficiency of self esteem is characteristic. This goes for the entire country, including the leadership. The PCB is a microcosm of Pakistan. A disgusting failure.
Let PCB do its job. I am research scholar here at Malaysia and me Pakistani. The difference is of establishing systems between here and there. I sincerely think Afridi has done bad job my passing dishonorable comments against board officials and track record shows, he needs to work on public dealing.
yeap.. ket PCB do its job.. so we dont have any cricket in the country anymore.. you dont need to mention your a scholar to authenticate your views.. Afridi is great.. i admire him for spilling the beans that something seriously is wrong within cricket.. just like the government of pakistan
I am also in malaysia and a Pakistani but live in USA. This board is a laughing stock. Yes Afridi may be bad and should not do like that but u know in any organization there are people whose tolerant level varies. The corporate job is to get the best out of people not to use one stick for all. Imran was an example how he handle Javed and others.
Mr. Abdul Ghani,
Greetings from across the border.
I will have to disagree with you! There is something seriously wrong with PCB "leadership", if you can call it that.
We fans still remember and feel dismay over the handling of spot-fixing scandal by Mr. Butt. He went on to accuse English players without having any regards of the fact that English invited the Pak team to play at their grounds. What a way to isolate the team.
Mr. Butt needs to go! Hopefully sanity will prevail and someone with impeccable credentials will lead the team out of the current mess.
- Nate Gupta
I admire you comments which are absolutely true but many of my friends are failing to realize that though nepotism had always existed in South Asian cultures but who then now all of a sudden the situation has gone from bad to worse from Pakistan. I belie it is because this time around the appointtee was especially handed the job to run the Cricket to ground by the Patron of the board since he has an axe to grind with people of Pakistan. The cancellation of Geo Super Sports, the only Sports channel in the country and attack on the Sri Lankan Cricket team are all connected and Pre determined designs.
Reply to All:
The caliber of Arfidi is that he still bats in the same way he used to during his early days i.e. to hit every ball out of ground. Look at the players like Jaysuriya, Gilchrist how did they start and end their career. People get mature with passage of time, Afridi has played for 14 years now and it is more than enough. Please realize!
Leaders should have leadership qualities, among other qualities one is, should not be loose temper. Afridi is not only loose temper but superlative degree. I can give you a number of examples.
Whereas, Mr Butt is concerned. He has alot of experience. He knows how to handle different situations. I don't say he is completely right. Nonetheless, my opinion is please don't make Afridi HERO and let the system prevail.
If you analyze the team's performance under coaching of Waqar remained almost same with different captains. I hope this depict whole story.
@Abdul Ghani……u r talking about system….My brother i dont see a system.Afridi was doing wel then y they striped him from captaincy? the role of ijaz butt in spot fixing scandal was nothing but a childs play. he has no skills my friend. he himself is a disaster. first somebody who is experienced and knows cricket well should be put incharge. secondly none of the player should be allowed to say a word against board etc. i think then we might have a system.
Dear Ahmad,
I would have to agree with Abdul Ghani i.e. please keep Afridi on earth and don't make him a hero. He is no less of a disaster than Ijaz Butt. I am sure you remember Afridi's pitch damaging and ball eating (sorry biting) fiascoes.
I am absolutely surprised no one is talking about Afridi's captaincy blunders in the WC (particularly in the semi final) and his rock bottom batting form. Do you remember when he last scored above 30? Afridi's complete disregard of the situation whenever he comes out to bat is just unbelievable and painful for anyone who understands cricket.
Ijaz Butt is certainly not a suitable person to run the board, there is no argument about it. But I am sure Afridi would have pulled the same drama under any other PCB chairman. Afridi complains he was not taken in to confidence on removing him from the captaincy. What does that mean?? Was he expecting a guard of honor?? He must have been informed in advance by the PCB and that’s all it needed.