SALMAN BUTT (Left-handed opening batsman)Age: 26Tests: 33; Runs: 1,889; Highest score: 122; Average: 30.46; 100s: 3; 50s: 10ODIs: 78; Runs: 2,725; Highest score: 136; Average: 36.82; 100s: 8; 50s: 14T20s: 24; Runs: 595; Highest score: 74; Average: 28.33; 50s: 3

-    Butt was handed the captaincy after Shahid Afridi quit following a one-sided defeat against Australia at Lord's in July last year.

Pakistan defeated Australia in the next match by four wickets at Leeds -- their first win over the Aussies for 15 years -- and hopes of a new era were high.

Emerging from the streets of Lahore, Salman represented Pakistan at all levels, leading Pakistan to the Asian Under-15 title in 1999 and then impressing in the Junior World Cup in 2002.

His brilliant match-winning hundred in a one-day match against India at Calcutta in late 2004 set his career on the right track and although he flitted in and out of the squad, his talent was never in doubt.

Under former coach Bob Woolmer, Salman's career flourished with, hundreds at Sydney in January 2005 and another three-figure knock against Ashes-winning England at Multan. -AFP