Salman prises input from seniors

LEEDS: Pakistan’s Test captain Salman Butt has prised the constant input by teammates in the field at Headingley that, to some observers, seemed like excessive interference during the opener’s first Test as captain.

Senior players including vice-captain Kamran Akmal, former captain Shoaib Malik and fast-bowler Umar Gul were often seen with Salman as Pakistan charged towards a commanding position in the second innings. Salman, however, has played down any negative sentiments while apprising the seniors’ efforts.

“It’s human nature, when you’re given advice you don’t want it and when there’s nothing coming then you complain I wasn’t helped,” Salman philosophically put it following his side’s three-wicket win. “However, I thought I was very lucky because it wasn’t just the advice I was getting but it showed that those players were reading the game and thinking about it because we all wanted to do well against Australia.”

While confirming that not every advice was implemented on the field, Salman, who will captain Pakistan for at least the next four Tests against England, assured onlookers that his tactics were such keeping the young team in mind.

“It’s not that I take every advice given to me but at the same time I want every player to be thinking about the game and I want them to know that the captain is willing to listen to everyone and believes in them, especially the younger players.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 27^th, 2010.