Shahid Afridi & the four captains of the apocalypse

This post was going to be about Australia and their readiness or otherwise for the Ashes. But the antics of Shahid Afridi means that this will have to wait.

Ricky Ponting must feel like the birthday girl, whose big day has been upstaged by the classroom joker setting off a stink bomb at her party. Even by the comical nature of Pakistan cricket, Afridi's retirement from test cricket and resignation after his first test as captain after a four year break from the five day game is quite astounding.

With endearing honesty, Afridi admitted that he didn't have the patience or mentality for test cricket and that the second match against Australia at Headingley will be his last test (if he is fit). He couldn't have put it more bluntly by stating that "With my temperament I can't play Test cricket," going on to admit that "a captain should lead by example which I did not. And if I played the way I played in this match it is better to leave." 

The many observers who predicted that an Afridi captaincy would end quickly and ignominiously have been proved right. This is a shame as there were signs in the World T20, Asia Cup and the Twenty 20's against Australia last week that Afridi could prove to be the unifying captain that Pakistan so desperately needed.

Afridi's dismissals in both innings were irresponsible but his Pakistan side did not descend into the rabble that they had in Australia. The first innings collapse was poor as was the body language when Ben Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger added 52 for the last wicket in Australia's 2nd innings. And handing 14 wickets to Shane Watson, Marcus North and Steven Smith smacked of carelessness. But given the hand dealt by the selectors in ignoring Younis Khan, Pakistan actually performed reasonably well at Lord's.

The Pakistan captaincy is becoming a poisoned chalice and Salman Butt may want to think twice if he is offered the captain's job for the test series against England. Since Inzamam retired in 2007, Pakistan has now had four test captains. Shoaib Malik lasted three tests, married someone he spoke to on the phone and has allegedly been a disruptive influence in the dressing room ever since. Younis Khan was next. He led the side to victory in the World T20 in 2009 before amidst more plots and conspiracies than a John Le Carre novel asked to be rested from the New Zealand tour last Autumn. 

Then Mohammad Yousuf had a go at the top job he had craved for so long, but was blamed for the disastrous tour to Australia by the PCB and banned indefinitely. Yousuf then announced his retirement and despite pleas from Afridi and even Chairman Butt himself, has shown no signs of reversing this decision.

Where does Pakistan cricket go from here amidst the aftermath of the four captains of the apocalypse?

Four captains in just over two years may sound a lot, but England once went through four captains in a series and five in less than a year. In 1988, Mike Gatting started the series with the West Indies as captain before an alleged misdemeanour with a barmaid led to him being sacked after the first test. John Emburey took over for the next two, both of which were lost. Then the selectors took leave of their senses completely and summoned Chris Cowdrey from county cricket and made him captain. He lasted one match before Graham Gooch was handed the 'honour' for the final test of the series.

Amazingly, new Chairman of the Selectors Ted Dexter decided four captains wasn't enough  and relieved Graham Gooch of the role and gave it to David Gower for the 1989 Ashes series making it five captains in less than a year. Even Pakistan has never had anything like this.

Finally, Afridi can count himself lucky in some respects. Lady Jane Grey was Queen of England for nine days following the death of Edward VI before she was overthrown by Mary and executed at the Tower of London. Although with Chairman Butt(head) anything is possible...  

Comments

[sunny]

"Ricky Ponting must feel like the birthday girl, whose big day has been upstaged by the classroom joker setting off a stink bomb at her party."
That is so wonderfully explained.
Afridi could at least have waited till the series are over.
But what it is with Pakistan and captaincy, I don't know. Seems like a curse follows the job.

[The Reverse Sweep]

Thanks Sunny. Salman Butt is certainly goping to need all the luck in the World!