“But this is not the way to treat senior players they need to be given confidence and I have always played for and give my best for Pakistan," Younus said. PHOTO: AFP
While speaking to a news channel, Younus spoke candidly and without listing any names hinted that he has not been justly treated by the captain and the coach.
"I don't know if I had not scored those 177 runs in the fourth innings of the third test in Sri Lanka what would have happened. Most probably I would have been dropped.
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“But this is not the way to treat senior players they need to be given confidence and I have always played for and give my best for Pakistan," Younus said.
His remarks have served to lend credibility to the recent rumours that certain players are disgruntled with the manner in which they are being treated by Misbah and Waqar. The players have voiced their discontentment and said that on particular occasions they have been run down openly in the dressing room by the captain and the head coach.
An experienced player who has 101 Tests and 264 one-day internationals under his belt, Younus has also not hidden his resentment at being dropped from the one-day squad.
"Why can't I play one-day cricket. What is wrong with me. Am I not fit or good enough. If I had been given a chance in the recent home series against Zimbabwe I would definitely have got runs.
"In the World Cup also I was not sure whether I would play or not. Against South Africa at the last minute I was inducted because of the injury to Haris Sohail I scored 37 valuable runs. I have scored runs against every strong opposition so why can't I play ODIs. I have also gone up and played against any side when others have backed down," he added.
Younus was also of the opinion that contrasting him to Misbah was an erroneous exercise.
"Misbah bats down the order. I go up. It is easier to bat down the order because the ball is old. I am more experienced and have played more matches so there is no comparison."
He also gave his two cents on the varying performances of Pakistan in one-days, stating that the reason could be rooted in the instability in the batting order.
"In Test cricket the number five or six is settled while in ODIs there have been frequent changes and this does not allow for players to settle down. Players need to be given chances," Younus said.
"One should not panic after one or two bad results. Fawad Alam till recently was being spoken off as a potential captain and vice-captain now he is not in the run. Sarfaraz Ahmed still does not have a settled batting position."
Further, Younus restated his desire to captain the team once more before his retirement. He also talked about the practice of some players who placed people in the enclosure with banners in their favour.
He did not have anything positive to say about the coaching courses held by the cricket board either, saying that more effort and thought needs to be put in coaching as it was such a specialized area.
Younus went on to say that having a foreign coach has numerous advantages and cited Bangladesh as an example of a team which has enhanced its play under a foreign coach.
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