Captains in Pakistani culture are either appointed based on their captaincy credentials and being naturally identified leaders or they are given the honour as a result of their seniority and experience in a team environment. The current man in office is a prime example of someone who was given the role as a result of being a 'Specialist Captain' having only played 19 test matches before being thrown in with the thankless task of rejuvenating a broken outfit. The ever controlled Misbah had always been regarded as a suitable and capable leader of men which is evident with him captaining several domestic sides since 2001 at a younger age and that too having commenced his first class career late by Pakistani standards due to academic commitments.
On the other hand, the likes of Inzamam were given the role as a result of their seniority and being the most capped member of the side having been given the honour after over a decade of regularly being involved in the side. He was not necessarily considered as an individual with leadership pedigree, but built up a strong playing reputation over an extended career to be able to gather the respect of his younger team members as a senior figure which led to him captaining the side towards the latter part of his illustrious career.
In Pakistan, seniority is often a key factor in gaining the right to captain the country, perhaps even more so than having specialist captains with the qualities and CV behind them. This is what makes the current captain positively different from the rest. Elsewhere, this tag of seniority is less so. The likes of Michael Atherton, Michael Clarke, Cameron White, Alastair Cook, Virat Kohli have all led at an Under 19 World Cup before and gone on to lead their national teams in some capacity or another. They have been identified as potential leaders from the days of their youth. The progression plan has followed to the top level.
The likes of Umar Akmal, Nasir Jamshed, Ahmed Shehzad and Junaid Khan to just take as a handful of examples simply do not cut it as captains despite some Pakistani fans believing they do just because of their popularity or performance. Neither do they have it in them as has been seen with the lack of opportunities they are getting to lead sides at the lower levels, hence not being regarded as men who could control a side. And neither are they vastly experienced as seniors. Captains have to be creative, natural, outside of the box choices. If that is not possible, you turn to seniority as a last resort. Very few can lead and lead well. It's not an art that every Tom, Dick and Harry can effectively adopt. Of course, it is possible to find born captains that are not necessarily the best of players. Hence, it's worthwhile to go searching beyond the usual names for such an integral matter which can frequently dictate the path of a side.
George Bailey was made captain on debut. Alastair Cook was captain of the ODI team after the 2011 World Cup having not been in the World Cup Squad, let alone the final playing XI. Misbah was made captain having not played in the previous six test matches. Mike Brearley famously captained England to Ashes glory in 1981 having not been in the side at the start of the series. Rob Key was also in the hunt some years ago as a candidate to lead England in the coloured clothing having not been in the side; however that did not overshadow his achievements whilst leading Kent.
These are all examples of creative choices and they have all succeeded. PCB could learn a lesson or two, particularly with them gaining overwhelming success when Ijaz Butt pulled off a masterstroke and the finest moment of his tenure by appointing Misbah, a move that not many would have taken. They should creatively groom a successor to Misbah based purely on leadership skills. There may not be many around in Pakistan, but there are 2 that strike me that are worth a serious punt.
Azhar Ali portrays the impression of leadership potential. He is mentally a tough cookie, principled, methodical and temperamentally unfazed as many would know from his enduring playing style. These are often key traits in successful leaders. A clear organised mindset to be able to counter several different situations that you will come across and react constructively to them. As a purist he is known to be responsible, focused and mature which his stoic persistence epitomises, more traits of features one looks for in deciding whether one fills the criteria of captaincy material. In addition, he speaks confidently with the press, is disciplined, has captaincy experience by leading Lahore to the final of the National Domestic One day Cup 2013 and is rated by senior pundits, his own captain and coaches as someone who could do the job at some point. Having played 12 consecutive test series without missing a game since July 2010 and adjudged the PCB Test Batsmen of the year in 2012/13, he is more than established. He has played more test matches than Saeed Ajmal. One must remember that during the unforgettable whitewash against the colonial father, the number 3 rock was the only batsmen from either side to average above 50 and that too in a series where wickets fell in clusters with ball dominating bat.
Umar Amin is a fairly educated well brought up individual from my understanding and research. I know one does not get extra runs or wickets for being educated as many people would forward in response. However, education produces thinking cricketers with sharper minds, suitable ambassadors who can interact in a professional diplomatic manner, players who can command the respect of the dressing room, boosts a player's self-esteem and generally speaking prevents the occurrence of misguided players. Some of the finest captains the game has seen have been renown as highly educated people, inevitably making them top class role models. The likes of Michael Atherton, Kumar Sangakkara, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Imran Khan, Nasser Hussain, Mike Brearley are just some of the many. Ed Cowan in Australia was on the brink of being a serious contender for the vice captaincy of the Australian test side earlier in the year. His academic background went strongly in his favour. Amin also has captaincy experience, leading the Under-25 side to glory in the SAARC championship 2 years ago.
Hafeez does not cut it anymore due to his severe deficiencies in the test game and his unwillingness to move into the lower middle order. It's benefiting to have the Test and ODI captain the same, just like the worldwide trend in most international outfits barring West Indies and South Africa. Even there they have the Test captain still playing ODIs as a player. Hence, Hafeez was never someone I was too hopeful about for becoming a proper skipper outside the limited over arena because there were always doubts over his test match ability and now more than ever. In T20s though while captaining, he has not done much wrong, undefeated in 5 series and having the most international wins by a Pakistan Captain in the format with a winning percentage of 67. But you don't become a great captain by just doing well in T20s or the limited over formats only.
For now and at least until the 11th ICC World Cup in 16 months’ time or the England ‘home’ series later that year at a stretch, Misbah undoubtedly remains the only choice to lead the side across Tests and ODIs, the best choice to lead, a highly idealistic choice and best all-round choice. As the only Pakistan Captain to have won more than he has lost in all 3 formats, 1 win away from being in position 4 for the most international wins by a Pakistani Captain and having the highest win/loss ratio by a Pakistani international Captain across 3 different formats with a qualification of 60 matches, he has established himself as the best 21st century Pakistani Captain and not someone who should be dismissed so easily, but rather someone who we should be reaping the rewards of unseen continuity with by appreciating the benefit of having him around. In addition, he is the most consistently individually performing batting skipper, most proven batsmen that has mastered the 3 different formats in the country and best ageing player Pakistan have ever had. His 2013 numbers, much like 2011, are astonishing, carrying the vast bulk of the work for teams that are heavily reliant on him as an assuring lone battler. When you have found a leader as accomplished as him, particularly in an environment that is known to struggle with leadership, you need to encourage them to keep going as they come far and few between. It's difficult to imagine finding anyone equal to his standing for a lengthy time to follow without the slightest of hyperbole.
The daft age arguments which completely lack thought will keep cropping up. Yes, normally a 39 year old should not be playing on the international scene. But since when has Misbah been a normal 39 year old? He has been performing exceptionally at the age and set a very high fitness benchmark which coaches would testify. He has the most 50+ scores by an ODI player at 38+ and has 11 half centuries in 15 international innings since turning 39. Most recently, he averaged 195 in the Champions League T20, striking all 13 sixes his team hit in the competition, including a man of the match award in the last game for an unbeaten 93 from just 60 deliveries. The late 30s hasn't been the twilight of a very consistent but late starting career for him, rather the peak. Hence, he is a big EXCEPTION to the rule. Many players with significantly worse performance and fitness levels than him have played into their 40s. He has shown that age has no limitations better than anyone. He has proven that with experience and maturity, it can be a thriving period in a career rather than a declining one. He is one who has not been affected by the whole age tag concept where many start to enter panic mode, by doing so start doubting themselves. He has a genuine age which for Pakistanis is a basic honesty lacked in many cases. Having spent a long time plying his trade in the first class circuit, he is now enjoying the fruits of dedication, commitment and desire having not been disheartened by a lack of opportunities in his younger years, at the top level.
The daft age arguments which completely lack thought will keep cropping up. Yes, normally a 39 year old should not be playing on the international scene. But since when has Misbah been a normal 39 year old? He has been performing exceptionally at the age and set a very high fitness benchmark which coaches would testify. He has the most 50+ scores by an ODI player at 38+ and has 11 half centuries in 15 international innings since turning 39. Most recently, he averaged 195 in the Champions League T20, striking all 13 sixes his team hit in the competition, including a man of the match award in the last game for an unbeaten 93 from just 60 deliveries. The late 30s hasn't been the twilight of a very consistent but late starting career for him, rather the peak. Hence, he is a big EXCEPTION to the rule. Many players with significantly worse performance and fitness levels than him have played into their 40s. He has shown that age has no limitations better than anyone. He has proven that with experience and maturity, it can be a thriving period in a career rather than a declining one. He is one who has not been affected by the whole age tag concept where many start to enter panic mode, by doing so start doubting themselves. He has a genuine age which for Pakistanis is a basic honesty lacked in many cases. Having spent a long time plying his trade in the first class circuit, he is now enjoying the fruits of dedication, commitment and desire having not been disheartened by a lack of opportunities in his younger years, at the top level.
Nevertheless, long term planning just isn't part of the PCB psyche is it?
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