ISLAMABAD: Creating doubts in the minds of a few senior cricketers not willing to see Shan Masood as captain of the team for the future Test series will never help bind an outfit for a common cause.
This is how the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) with Jason Gillespie having the final say has handled announcement of the team for the first Test against England.
No one, not even possibly the board’s think-tank is sure as to what would be the combination of the team for the second Test also to be played at the Multan Stadium. Possibly they have left it to the outcome of the first Test to decide on the leadership and combination for the rest of two Tests.
The PCB Media Department officials maintained that there was no need to make repeated announcements on captaincy.
“Test captaincy is a settled issue as the PCB in November 2023 has announced Shan Masood to lead the team for the entire season running up to the home series against West Indies to be played in January 2025, unless he is removed midway,” the PCB spokesperson said.
It was talk of the town that Shan, because of his inability to handle the team in a better way and because of his personal performance as a top-order batsman, is bound to be replaced.
Already engraved his name as the first ever captain in Pakistan Test history to have lost all the first five matches at the outset of his captaincy career, Shan’s blushes were saved by head coach Jason Gillespie.
It is believed that he has recommended to PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi that he should be given the opportunity to continue as captain. For how long though, nothing could be said at this point of time. The most surprising aspect of Tuesday evening’s handout issued by the PCB is the announcement of the team for the first Test only. With the second Test also to be played at the same venue, not retaining the same combination creates doubts in the mind. Usually, the captain and head coach are supposed to have a major say when it comes to team’s selection, if that is the case then there should not have been any hesitancy in retaining the same 15 or including a few more for the first two Tests to be played at the same venue and in the same conditions.
The element of uncertainty on the team’s combination for the second Test gives birth to speculations, more about Shan’s future than anything else. It also creates doubts in the minds of some senior cricketers who do not feel comfortable playing under Shan’s captaincy.
Though nothing has come out in the open, the general feeling is that a few seniors wanted a change in Test team leadership. The 2-0 whitewash against Bangladesh was possibly outcome of lack of unity in the team besides the incompetence of leadership qualities shown by the team captain.
There were a few cricketers who did not seem to be putting up their best in bowling and batting and at the same time the element of support for each other was also missing against Bangladesh which achieved a rare Test series sweep against Pakistan.
The PCB’s recent efforts to convene Connection Camp was seen as an attempt to bring back unity in the team that was missing during the series against Bangladesh. The announcement of the team for the opening Test creates further doubts as to whether the Shan’s position as a captain is on the brink and his future depends more on the performance of the team in the first Test against England.
After failing to show any competitiveness during the last five Tests Pakistan have played on pace-friendly pitches, the low and slow spinning Multan Stadium’s track will provide yet another opportunity for Shan to save his future but the major factor that will possibly decide fate of the Test and even the entire series is the unity of the team, visible support for each other and the tendency of fighting spirit that was missing in team performance during the series against Bangladesh.
Is every senior cricketer (batsman or bowler) is ready to stand up for captain this time around or whether Shan will himself try to lead from the front are the questions that would possibly shape the England series outcome.