Sports

Younus Khan expresses displeasure with Waqar Younis, Misbahul Haq

Veteran cricketer is not happy with the manner in which the head coach and Test captain are treating him

Sports Desk July 23, 2015

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 quot younus said photo afp

“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

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain and Veteran batsman, Younus Khan’s recent television appearance has been the cause of much excitement in the cricketing crowd as he publicly expressed his disapproval of the behaviour of Test captain, Misbahul Haq and team coach, Waqar Younis.

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.

Read: Younus Khan wants to lead Pakistan one last time

“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.

COMMENTS (24)

khan e khana | 9 years ago | Reply Yk truelly deserved respect. Plz get rid of misball and waqii they have cost us so many matches.

PERVAIZ | 9 years ago | Reply Younis is always my Hero and it is my advise to him that he will focus on his test cricket b/c if he will play 20 odds more ODI it will not make any impact on his record . But if he will play 20 test match he may reach to 40's 100s and 10000 runs and he will include in list of all time great player of world cricket . Did not go for captaincy or any controversy with board it may divert his attention . just focus .

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User | 9 years ago | Reply @Anon: I beg to differ. Sarfaraz for the time being does not look under threat at all. Maybe he looks nervous because the guy runs between the wickets like a madman(and i say that in a good way) and makes most of his runs that way rather than through boundaries. Umar Akmal is missing from the team (thank God) and shoib Malik atleast for now is proving his worth. Maybe the threat of being dropped is what is causing these guys to perform. Agree with the Karachi point though but hopefully that is also changing

Anon | 9 years ago | Reply "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" Clearly pointing out the discrimination meted out to Karachi players. Srfraz always looks under preassure when batting because no matter how many performances he gives he is under pressure that he may be dropped. Meanwhile people like ahmed shezad, umar ukmal, shoaib malik have more lives than a cat

J.Niaz | 9 years ago | Reply Younus and Misbah's partnerships are part of the greatness of Pakistan Cricket. Outside cricket, no partnership! Pity.

amir | 9 years ago | Reply Younis you are a legend in test, the One day game is totally different especially now its a young mans game, and Team pakistan is doing with all the senior bazurgs out the team, well done selectors and waqar younis on building a new unit for the new version of odi cricket!

Musa | 9 years ago | Reply Don't forget that he is after imran khan to bring world cup for pakistan

Disgusting | 9 years ago | Reply Younas Khan their behavior speaks of their background and upbringing. Ignore them both and stick to your aims in life.

Javed Iqbal | 9 years ago | Reply No doubt Younus Khan is the greatest test batsman Pakistan has produced ever but he should admit that at present he is not suitable/ fit for ODI

AA | 9 years ago | Reply @Qaisar Homayun: He is again politicizing cricket as soon as Pakistan started to show results. The young players are doing fine, they are consistent and scoring. When a senior player like Younus Khan struggle and get out after dropping run rate unrepairable the moral of the players suffer. He should settle for test and focus on making some personal records. Even in this series his performance was dismal except in the second inning 177. This is the problem with our cricket. You suck and suddenly by chance you score and come out challenging coach and captain. Wait for another "Khalifa" re-inducted in the team, Sifarishi, Shoaib Malik have by luck capitalized on secured top order scores to make a couple of fifties in ODIs, He is pretty soon going to start stirring waters contesting for a captain place. Pakistan cricket is marred by these "Khalifas" for long, it will never be stable untill who ever goes public against captain and coach should be given show-cause notice and slapped with fine, if not refrain should be kicked out, no matter how big a player. Discipline first. Go play for some other country and you will be sitting out for ever.

Waqar | 9 years ago | Reply I am not in favour of his inclusion in odi,but some friends are making comments without following him or pak cricket,he win odi matches 4 pak as well, he has got 7 hundreds,6 resulted in pak wins,and his 50's also play major roles in wining,not like others just stay at crease n watch wkts falling,at the end go not out and hence averaging almost 40+ in odi, but what have to do with averages if can't win a match.YK odi Avg is 31 but his runs were productive.in test no one is just near to him,he wins/save a lot of matches 4 pak.same misbah us failure in odi but succesfull in test why? Because of YK and Ajmal consistency, look at the recent chase of 377, YK and shan masood make the difference.he guided the young players well, azher,asad,shahzad and now masood has got hundreds and great partnerships with YK, not with any1 else.YK did not perform in test against Zimbabwy and Pak lost that as well,this is Younis importance in test team.he is the backbone of pak batting line,without his performance we even lost to Zim.

samir | 9 years ago | Reply Why does he need confidence at this age? Is there an issue walking out gracefully or he wants to be thrown out like all other pakistani greats who stretched their ODI careers to fall apart in the end? At his age and very unimpressive ODI record, he should be supporting young talent who plays in the team and not trying to snatched his place. Even for Test, Misbah, Azhar and Sarfraz can also claim hand in victories... but they do not.

Shirazi | 9 years ago | Reply BTW Misbah's ODI avg is 43 and he is not complaining about not being part of ODI team and YK as some nerves to cry at mediocre avg of 31. In tests it's different sweep shot helps Misbah to pile runs but in ODIs once you block that shot YK runs out of ideas. Going by numbers YK is the greatest test batsman we have ever produced - that tells you how ordinary our batting talent has always been.

AMir | 9 years ago | Reply I think he should be glad that he is playing test team as well. We lost world cup because him as another talented player could have been selected instead of him in WC squad. Occasionally he scores big on the flat wickets or against the team whose bowling attach is below par then come in the media and start justifying his place. Is he better than Harris Sohail who has replaced him is ODI's? Obviously not so if the young player is performing well then support him instead of coming in the media and start creating a pressure. You do not have to ask why you are not good for ODI's please pick up your last 20 ODI inn scores and you will get the answer. Please look into your ODI average and strike rate and you will get the answer.

Qaisar Homayun | 9 years ago | Reply @Anas Ali Khan: We don't understand the mystery of our national selectors, as to why Younis Khan was ignored from the ODI squad from the on going series in Sri Lanka. Younis is in the best form of his career and scores are keep coming with his bat with good strike rate. It is unfair with a senior player who is fit physically but can't make his place in the squad. Younis deserve the place to play in national team on NO.3 or 4

citizen26 | 9 years ago | Reply Younus you have played 264 ODI and with average of 31. This is ordinary and i wonder why were you given 264 games to play? You bat up in the order and higher average is expected and needed.

Anas Ali Khan | 9 years ago | Reply Younis Khan is a great batsman, in the longer format of the game. His style has never suited the shorter format, evident from his batting averages. Test-54. One Dayers-31.

Uzaib | 9 years ago | Reply YK no doubt is a great test batsman! But there is no reason to get emotional, his ODI record is very ordinary at best. And his last 10 ODIs he averages 20 with the bat. With the current ODI team form and set up I don't see him making a comeback at the age of 38! He should stick around test cricket for a year or two more as he surely is one of the greatest in that format for Pakistan.

Waseem Ahmad | 9 years ago | Reply "Why can’t I play one-day cricket ? " Because in ODIs you average 31.34 at a strike rate of 75 ? And that in the last two years you average 21 in 19 ODIs ?

Fawad khan | 9 years ago | Reply A legend in test but a below average in one days. He should accept this reality.

Ample reverence 4 KSA & Pak Army | 9 years ago | Reply @Cacha: He has never won an ODI for Pakistan......what a joke of the day, please watch previous matches contemplatively man!

ABC | 9 years ago | Reply Younus please have some mercy on Pakistan and leave the cricket. It is Misbah due to whom you are sill in the team, otherwise you should have been kicked out long ago.

Cacha | 9 years ago | Reply Although Younus Khan is a great player of test cricket but his ODI record is very ordinary. He has never won an ODI for Pakistan. I personally think he should retire from ODI cricket and focus only on test cricket.

usama | 9 years ago | Reply Younas Khan should play tests only and get on with it, being a legendary test batsman he was never the same in ODIs.

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