The rise and fall of Pakistan cricket can be attributed to the failure of cricket management, both at the regional and national level. Gone are the days when Pakistan attained unprecedented successes in the international cricket. Till 1992 when Pakistan won the World Cup, Pakistan never looked back. After the retirement of Imran Khan, the signs of decline were visible, but the process was slow as former captains Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram tried to maintain the reputation of the team.
During their leadership, Pakistan have undergone various ups and downs as the team had the services of top class cricketers, like Amir Sohail, Saeed Anwar, Saleem Malik, Abdul Qadir, Waqar Younus, Moin Khan and other experienced players.
After the shameful debacle in 2003 World Cup, the team has undergone a complete overhaul and with the exception of Inzamam-ul-Haq, Yousuf Youhana and Shoaib Akhtar, the juniors have replaced the seniors.
Usually when a team wins, the management takes all credit for its success, but when the team is defeated, everyone, including the management, criticises the players.
What happened in the three-Test series Down Under is the result of the prevailing system in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which is being run by an ad hoc committee, headed by former diplomat Shaharyar M. Khan.
In the absence of a democratic set-up, there is no concept of accountability, hence decline in the standard of the game and morale of the players is unavoidable. When personal likes and dislikes are made criterion of appointments and selections of the team, then demerit replaces merit.
Following imposition of the ad hoc system in the PCB over the last five years ago, a group of incompetent persons around the PCB chief, played havoc with the game and the players.
In a system, lacking checks, no one can expect positive results. The recent whitewash Down Under, though not the first, is a glaring example of such a system, which brought the game to near collapse. Before the start of the tour, nobody was expecting miracles against the world champions, who are governed by a firm cricket system. Moreover, playing on the Australian soil has always been difficult for the visitors and Pakistan were no exception.
Before the current whitewash, Pakistan had suffered shameful results in 1972-73 and 1998-99 in Australia and in 2002-03 in Colombo and Sharjah by Australia. The recent defeat is not as worst as in 2002-03, when Pakistan in both the innings could score 59 and 53 respectively in the second Test at Sharjah. The defeats in 2002-03 were not taken as serious as recently.
Only on three occasions Pakistan managed to level the series. First in a one-off Test at Melbourne in 1964, Pakistan, led by Little Master Hanif Mohammad, played a drawn match. In 1976-77 and 1978-79, Pakistan, captained by Mushtaq Mohammad, had been able to play drawn series.
RESPONSIBILITY: No doubt, the players are responsible for this debacle, but those who selected the team for such an important tour should accept their follies. While British coach Bob Woolmer failed to harness the best potentials of the players, the foreign physiotherapist and trainer could not read the body chemistry of the players, who one after the other, got injured and declared themselves unfit for the game.
Instead of criticising the players, the PCB Chairman, who warned the players "fire up or get fired", should look into the level of coaching and training by foreign "experts."
While the game-watchers were critical of the performance of the captain, vice-captain, some senior players, team management, the British coach and the physio, the PCB Chairman, ignoring the flaws in the coaching, has expressed satisfaction over the team's performance.
A few days later he came out with a warning to the players "fire up or get fired". The warning was nothing but an obvious repentance of his earlier statement, following grilling by the former cricket greats and the media.
Anyhow, only Inzamam-ul-Haq is not responsible for this defeat, the policy-makers in the PCB should also come forward and accept their faults.
Though the PCB Chairman and his selector, led by former Test wicket-keeper Wasim Bari, claim that they had chosen the best available lot, the series exposed their vision.
Now that the Test series has ended with a gloomy note, the triangular series, involving hosts Australia, Pakistan and West Indies, will get under way on Sunday (January 16).
Coach Woolmer as usual uttered that he was hopeful of positive results in the one-day series, but the experts are of the opinion that the present state of affairs, including the fitness problem and lack of concentration and sense of responsibility, speak the other way.
Woolmer should not forget the Australians continued their assault in both types of cricket-Test and One-day Internationals -- on their opponents has reconfirmed the notion that leadership plays an important role in not only harnessing the potentials of the player but also leading his boys according to the situation and playing conditions.
RECENT VICTORIES: In their recent victories, the Aussies undermined their opponent. They did not allow Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming and Pakistan's Inzamam-ul-Haq to score a run. Fleming and Inzamam did not complete the series, which Australia romped to victory.
After winning all the five Test series during the last 12 months, the Australians have reconfirmed that they are top-ranked cricketers, and Ricky Ponting has justified his appointment as captain. At the same time, Ponting did not lose command over the willow at the middle order.
There are no two opinions that the players are used to a particular style of leadership and respond to his strategies and styles. But when they are led by a deputy, they lose direction as was witnessed in the Melbourne and Sydney Tests when Yousuf Youhana led the team in the absence of Inzamam-ul-Haq, who remained in the dressing room, depriving the team of his experience and tactics To make matters worse, the senior players did not step into the breach. Shoaib Akhtar bowled fitfully, Abdul Razzaq infected with a virus.
About Shoaib Akhtar the less said the better as out of three or four matches, he would remain fit in just one match and during the remaining matches he was found unfit due to injuries and shoulder problem, hence he could not be relied upon.
So it was left to batsmen Yousuf Youhana and Younus Khan and a group of talented but immature younger players to provide some ray of hope in the batting.
If the PCB officials, the selectors and the coach have any sense, they would remember this series for long and realise the fact it is the attacking cricket, which ensures success. Unlike the Aussies performances, Pakistan team could not maintain a high standard in all departments of the game.
INCENTIVES: While the PCB, without evolving a system keeping in view the examples of England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and even neighbouring India, has introduced central contract system, providing financial incentives to the players according to international standard.
Though the players deserved to be relieved from the financial worries, the PCB should have made foolproof policy in giving such incentives, making it clear to the players that they to justify the rewards.
In return, it is the responsibility of the players to maintain their fitness and improve their performance to the best of their potential. Besides, the PCB should allow them to heal up their wounds as quick as possible.