Yousuf has been openly criticising the likes of Shahid Afridi, Misbahul Haq, Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Akmal, while there had also been certain grudges during his playing days with the current senior lot. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and newly-appointed chief selector Rashid Latif are involved in a deadlock regarding the induction of former captain Mohammad Yousuf in the selection panel.
Yousuf, who has represented Pakistan in 90 Tests and 288 ODIs, remains one of the best batsmen Pakistan has produced to date. He amassed 7,530 runs in the Test format and accumulated 9,720 runs in ODIs.
It has been learnt by The Express Tribune that the PCB gave five names to Latif for selecting his panel, but he opted to choose only two of them and included Yousuf in his panel. That led to insecurity among the senior players of Pakistan, who then tried to pressurise the board not to appoint him.
“There is a definite deadlock between the top PCB management and Latif over Yousuf’s induction,” revealed an official privy to the matter.
“While the PCB itself has reservations regarding Yousuf, they are also being persuaded by some senior players of the team against the induction. This hasn’t gone down well with Latif, possibly because he wants an independent role where he can select a clean and strong selection committee in order to lay a strong foundation for his new job.”
Yousuf has been openly criticising the likes of Shahid Afridi, Misbahul Haq, Mohammad Hafeez and Umar Akmal in recent months while there had also been certain grudges during his playing days with the current senior lot.
The situation is making things difficult for the PCB, which feels that his past record may hinder the partiality of selection and he may settle personal scores rather than make decisions objectively.
“The board has no reservations against Latif because he is someone with a clean chit, but there are some issues with one of the members of his proposed team,” the official added.
“PCB Chairman Najam Sethi is currently in Dubai to attend an important International Cricket Council meeting and once he is back, the matter will be sorted out.”
Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2014.
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Ahh Mohammad Yousuf... why doesn't he just... go away!!! Everytime I try to convince myself how great of a batsman and asset he was for Pakistan cricket, The debacle tour Australia in 2010 comes to mind and how much damage that particular series did for Pakistan. I point to him and his hunger for captaincy (which he was terrible at) ONE of the reason for Pakistan cricket's destruction
I was surprised when they appointed Rashid and if asks Rahsid asks for Mohammad Yousuf it will not be granted because he has integrity like Rashid and can't be persuaded to do anything what is fair and who is the best for the team. He will not play regional politics and will select players who is best for Pakistan. In Pakistan that can never happen.
Mohammad Yousuf might have been one of the best bats produced by Pakistan but the guy possesses zero cricketing acumen and has no insight to speak about. The last thing we want is a self proclaimed righteous and pious person sitting in the selection committee and striking players names off from the rosters purely on likes and dislikes.
I still can't forgive him ever for the 2010 Sydney test disaster.
PCB should try to include Inzamam-ul-haq in coaching / selection panel. He is arguably the best batsmen and most respected cricketer of the country without any controversies.
It is w wise decision not to include Yousuf in selection committee. Although he is one of the best batsmen Pakistan has ever produced, but he is not fit for this job. He himself has issues with the board for sitting out in the inaugural T20 world cup. The batsmen of his caliber and age was far better choice to be played in Test and ODIs at that time but he had some childish issues and he ended his career silently without any pride. He must have learnt the maturity from someone like Tendulkar / Ponting, who were far better batsmen and more explosive hitters than Yousuf but they took themselves away from T20 once they sensed the requirements of T20 cricket.
Yousaf has a lot of gripes against the current players who he played with especially Misbah whom he criticizes unfairly at every given oppurtunity. Misbah was the one who replaced him back in 2007 and went to become a successful captain. Yousaf himself a great batsman was a terrible captain and somehow his TV commentary seems to be colored by this bias. He is an unappropriate choice as a selector right now.
Include Yousuf and throw the people out who are opposing him, it can be Hafeez, Malik, Misbah Akmal, theses people are all selfish cricketers........ Lateef and Yousuf are honest people.
Why i was sent out of the cricket team when i am still or was playable and much better middle order batsmen in the current top 7 batsmen.
Anyways ! the only factor remains on our mind that who played well in the ground may do the job well with wearing a Tie or tshirt/short.
So the senior players want to "select" a selector of their choice. I thought it works the other way around.
This is a load of garbage to put it mildly. If the senior players or whoever objects to the decisions of the chief selector in choosing his team, you can well imagine what will be the state of affair while choosing the cricket team. Yousuf has been vocal and his opinion does make sense. He can surely add value to decision making of the chief selector. The officials objecting to Latif's decision should be made to shut up and Sethi should take a stand instead of chickening out.