Pakistan cricket management, which has been held hostage by player power and captain's sweeping powers since long, has at last realised the negative impact of the menace on the performance of the team.
In the past, the captains' meddling in the team's selection process has crossed all limits of tolerance, resulting in increasing incidents of indiscipline by senior players, having blessings of the captains.
Despite their arrogance and meddling in the team's selection process, the Cricket Board authorities tolerated them for one reason or the other. Unlike former captain Imran Khan, who had positive and professional approach to the game and command over the team, his successors failed to maintain discipline in the team, both on and off the field.
Politicking, grouping and infight polluted the atmosphere of the dressing room, which deteriorated the standard of the game. The shameful defeat in 2003 World Cup speaks a lot of irresponsible attitude of the senior players. Although Pakistan fielded a strongest team, having world class batsmen and bowlers, they could not qualify for the Super Six stage.
It was an eye opener for the ad hoc administration of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), but it did nothing to assert its authority. Cricket fans in the country, who have been keenly watching the game of musical chairs in the PCB, were of the opinion that only strong management at the top could help salvage the national team from the crisis.
As was expected, Pakistan's performance in the recently concluded World Cup was simply a replay of the 2003 World Cup because of captain Inzamam-ul-Haq's weak and shaky leadership. Though he was all powerful captain and has a say in the team's selection, he could not inspire his team-mates.
Insiders say former chief selector Wasim Bari was fed up with the meddling of Inzamam in the selection of the team, making his task more difficult. As such, he and his colleagues used to succumb to Inzamam's pressure to include certain players in the team. Though the senior officials in the PCB resented Inzamam's attitude, they obliged him by appointing leg spinner Mushtaq Ahmed as bowling coach for the South African tour and the World Cup.
PCB GETS TOUGH:
Following disastrous World Cup campaign, Pakistan team and the PCB ad hoc administration have faced a lot of criticism from all and sundry. As a result, the PCB Ad hoc Committee, for the first in over seven years, got tough and decided to pull the teeth of the captain, sending a signal to the players not to show their heights as they are not above the top cricket authority in the country.
The PCB decision ahead of the forthcoming tour of Abu Dhabi and Sri Lankan is definitely a bold step, aimed at putting the team back on rails. PCB Director of Cricket Operations Zakir Khan.said: "Previously, the selectors used to select the 15 or 16-member squads and the captain and coach finalised the playing eleven."
But now the skipper would be consulted by the selectors on all matters, who (the selectors) would have the final say, he said, adding that a tour selection committee, comprising the manager, coach, captain and vice-captain, would select final squad, but the manager would have more say on selection issues.
Zakir said the changes were made to give the selectors more responsibility and to ease pressure on the captain. According to sources, the new PCB "think tank," though its composition is not known and nobody knows who are its members, is believed to have drawn an aggressive strategy, keeping in view the post-World Cup backlash to embark upon the rebuilding process of the team.
Unlike the Wasim Bari-led selection committee, which banked mostly on all-rounders, the new selection committee will definitely be facing tough time to implement its plan - finding specialists players, as most of the young batsmen, after playing one or two matches or a series, have been dumped.
Keeping in view the performance of Sri Lankans, who are on high with wins over New Zealand, South Africa and India in the West Indies, the task of the new selection committee, which has been appointed for two years, of inducting young blood in the team is difficult.
There is no dearth of talent in the country. It is, however, the responsibility of those who matter in the Cricket Board, especially Director, Cricket Operations, Zakir Khan, to launch a talent hunt campaign and unearth the real talent to be trained at regional academies and later at National Cricket Academy (NCA).
In the present situation, the PCB ad hoc administration should follow the Australia, who soon after winning the World Cup, have not wasted time in finding replacements of the retiring players. Since the Aussies have strong domestic cricket structure, they would not face any difficulty in finding replacements.
POWER AND AMBITION:
When power and ambition are combined, things start deteriorating. So is the case of the PCB, which is run on ad hoc basis for last over seven years. Dr Nasim Ashraf, soon after taking over as Chairman of the PCB ad hoc Committee, has announced restructuring of the management at the top and introducing corporate culture in the PCB, but his "restructuring plan" indicates that the axe will fall on lower grade employees, while the "privileged" ones will continue to be treated as sacred cows.
According to reports, a sense of insecurity prevailed among old and permanent PCB staff members, who have been offered contractual employment by the Cricket Board.
But the regular staff members have expressed their reservations, criticising the new service rules, which empowered newly appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) Shafqat Naghmi to sack any employee at any time after evaluation of their performance.
Insiders say that under the restructuring plan, the PCB plans to get rid of "surplus staff," and decided to bring all permanent staff members under the umbrella contractual employment.
On the one hand, the salaries of the lower grade employees have been slashed and, on the other, certain top officials were rewarded with financial benefits.
Among them was chief curator Agha Zahid, who has been bitterly criticised for preparing substandard and flat wickets in the country, bringing disgrace to Pakistan. According to a report, Agha Zahid's salary has been doubled, ie from Rs 60,000 to Rs 1.20 lakh per month.
A few months back, the PCB has decided to engage South African curator to prepare sporting wickets, but now it seems the PCB Chairman and his "advisors" are reported to have abandoned the idea, obviously to patronise people like Agha Zahid. Meanwhile, indications are that the ad hoc system will continue till Dr Nasim Ashraf's "restructuring" plan is implemented in letter and spirit. It is, however, advisable to restore democratic set-up for the betterment of the game.
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