News: Yousuf’s captaincy ouster announcement untimely: Inzamam

The untimely announcement of Pakistan skipper Mohammad Yousuf being dropped from the captaincy post, after the ongoing Australia series, made by Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt on Friday is being met with criticism from country's former cricketing greats.

Yousuf had guided Pakistan to a Test series win against New Zealand in November last year but failed miserably in the three match Test series against Australia, which concluded last week and even lost the first ODI at Brisbane on Friday.

Butt said that Yousuf was appointed as captain only for both the tours down under and he will be replaced with a new skipper once the team return home after playing four one-dayers and one Twenty20 match left in the Aussie tour.

However, former captains Aaamer Sohail and Inzamam-ul-Haq believe that this news will surely lower down the team’s morale even more after their continuous losses in the ongoing tour. "Why announce this in the middle of the Australia tour? What's the urgency?" Sohail inquired.

"Even if the board thought that Yousuf is not good enough to captain the team, they should have waited till their return. Ever since the team had gone to New Zealand and Australia, there is total chaos and lack of communication between the team management, selectors and board. This is another example of that lack of communication, which will only contribute to the team's poor show," Inzamam said.

Meanwhile, former wicketkeeper Moin Khan though pointed out Yousuf’s flaws in captaincy during the Test series which Pakistan lost 3-0 to Australia but felt that PCB has now put unnecessary pressure on the team and captain with the ODIs and T20 still to go.

"He accepted the captaincy at a time when no one was willing to do it and he has given his best, but the same is also true that he lacked the aggression required in Australia to win matches. But this does not mean that the board should announce that they will change the captain after the Australian tour. It will leave the team further disjointed and dispirited," Moin pointed out.

It has been reported that Yousuf is having a tough time with Pakistan's chief selector Iqbal Qasim over various issue catering to senior players. Earlier he had requested the board to fly in former captain Younis Khan but the Pakistan board had rejected the appeal.