Younis Khan speaks after his appointment as captain [Merged]

[natalia]

Pakistan's new captain Younis Khan on Tuesday made it clear that people should not expect miracles or "quick-fix solutions" from him to solve the problems facing the national team.

"There are big problems with our cricket system and it will take time to put things in place," Younis said soon after the Cricket Board named him as the new captain in place of Shoaib Malik.

Younis said he had agreed to take up the captaincy because of the challenges facing the team but said the board and cricket fans will have to be patient for consistent results.

"There is lot of potential in Pakistan cricket but we need to all sit down and come up with a collective effort to ensure the team does consistently well," said the senior batsman.

"I will talk to all the players including Malik and discuss future strategy. Because at the end of the day the players have to perform as a team not individuals," he said.

The 31-year-old right hander said the good thing was that there is time before Sri Lanka arrive for a two-match Test series next month and the players can make proper preparations.

"Doing well against Sri Lanka is now my main priority because they are a good side both in one-day and Test. So it is going to be a tough initial challenge as captain," Younis said.

@ CricketNext

[MIG]

Miracles? why not? Just win us the series against SL and we will take that as a small miracle. Thanks

[Riff]

Originally Posted by natalia Pakistan's new captain Younis Khan on Tuesday made it clear that people should not expect miracles or "quick-fix solutions" from him to solve the problems facing the national team.@ CricketNext

Too bad Malik didnt clarify that when he was appointed captain. really sad

[Mythsmoke]

Well....i think when things are done in a knee jerk fashion....miracles are expected
but what miracle is he talking about? that 6 batsman raise their hand and bat sensibly? what the heck....if not 6 then 4..or 3...?

[Rudi hater]

One thing we will see under YK is experiment and doing things different and proactively rather than going through the motion in every single match as did Malik.

[Savak]

I wish him all the best. I give him two years to make a mark.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Riff Too bad Malik didnt clarify that when he was appointed captain. really sad

Would it have made any difference?

[Foozee]

draw the series against SL... would be a miracle

[infamous9383]

we don't except miracles from younis bhai. After all, you have to do what malik failed to do.

Hold the bat for our top 6.

Put glue into akmal's glove.

Somehow keep our pacers healthy and interested in cricket.

While you are at it, why not find a spinner who can get wickets in odis.

[Riff]

Originally Posted by Keith Would it have made any difference?

Probably not, considering that the PCB do expect instant miracles from the captain, regardless of whether the captain informs everyone not to do so before hand. I think Younis Khan wont be fooling the PCB with this comment

[Poison]

I would have liked him to say : "I can change the side, we'll become one of the top sides within the next year. We have the talent, its just going unharnessed at the moment". Seems sort of negative.

[Mythsmoke]

Originally Posted by Poison I would have liked him to say : "I can change the side, we'll become one of the top sides within the next year. We have the talent, its just going unharnessed at the moment". Seems sort of negative.

He might intend to do that...perhaps doesnt want to talk thru the press.
its a disease worth avoiding in the current PCB set up

[Kriketer]

Just perform regularly Yonus Bhai and don't get out on single digits against better oppositions like in ODIs against Lanka.

[Couch Cricketer]

Drop Afridi from ODI team
That would be miracle enough for me

[hussein]

preparing for defeat against SL already, bahoot acha

[On_the_up]

Lo, pehle din saihe umeedon per paani pher diya.

[khatri]

He seems to be following US presidential inauguration too closely I think.

No we the fans do not want miracles, honest sensible aggressive cricket would do thanks.

And yes we believe you can deliver bro.

[mali9]

wel pple listen you have to be patient as he said, also most of you people wnted him captain anyways, therefore hun ram naal bawo and lets see how many player accept younus as a captain, trust me afridi, moyo, razaq will never accepts him as a captain. we'll pple if we win test against sri then i'll say younis is better captain then malik. few things for pak fans to consider while watching match, how was teams body language, did they look happy with ykhans captaincy.

[zubair_786_7]

Younis Khan, in his first press conference since being named Pakistan captain, gave his support to his predecessor Shoaib Malik and backed him to retain his place in the team. The Pakistan Cricket Board had acted immediately after Pakistan's heavy loss to Sri Lanka in the recent ODI series and the first casualty was Malik, whose captaincy credentials and place in the side have been under scrutiny since he took over after the 2007 World Cup.

Malik's tenure will be remembered for all the wrong reasons, with senior players finding themselves isolated and even some younger players suffering, in addition to the team's inconsistent showings. Younis, however, insisted that he enjoyed a good relationship with Malik despite the captaincy change and said it is important they support each other.

"Malik is a senior player and he is a regular member of the team," Younis said. "He is like a younger brother to me. We talked on the telephone yesterday and there's complete harmony among us. When he was captain he got my full support and now I expect the same from him."

Younis said yesterday that he needed the firm backing of his players if the team needs to move forward. He wanted his players to wave magic wands and show more consistency, starting with the two-Test series against Sri Lanka next month, his first series as captain in an official capacity.

"I want to lead the side from the front like Imran Khan used to do," Younis said. "It's a challenge for us and hopefully when we play the second test in Lahore, we will win the trophy against Sri Lanka. Wherever we went after Saturday's defeat against Sri Lanka we felt awkward and guilty because we lost badly."

[On_the_up]

January 29 2009

Newly appointed Pakistan captain Younis Khan backed his predecessor Shoaib Malik to remain in the team and promised an improved performance in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka next month.

Malik was replaced as captain after Sri Lanka inflicted Pakistan's heaviest limited-overs defeat - by 234 runs - to clinch the series 2-1 in Lahore on Saturday.

"Malik is a senior player and he is a regular member of the team," Khan said on Wednesday. "He is like a younger brother to me. We talked on telephone and there's complete harmony among us."

Khan said he is inspired to lead the team in the style of Pakistan's 1992 World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan.

"I want to lead the side from the front like Imran used to do," Khan said.

The 31-year-old Khan could only score 20, four and four in three innings against Sri Lanka, but is already planning revenge.

"It's a challenge for us and hopefully when we play the second test in Lahore, we will win the trophy against Sri Lanka," he said.

"Wherever we went after (Saturday's) defeat against Sri Lanka we felt awkward and guilty because we lost badly."

It will be Pakistan's first Test since playing India in December 2007. Australia postponed their tour to Pakistan due to security concerns in March last year, and two proposed Tests against the West Indies in November fell through.

Khan expects pitches to be prepared that will suit leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and fast bowler Umar Gul against Sri Lanka.

"If I will be consulted, I would surely go for good supporting tracks because in Kaneria and Gul we have two good quality bowlers," Khan said.

Cricket365

[MIG]

Younis better forget this bhai business and work on weaknesses etc of this team.

There will be no excuse for failure now.

[Mythsmoke]

good talk...waiting for the walk..

[On_the_up]

Shhhh, stop talking about walking, he might get the wrong idea, he already refused the captaincy twice before.

[Mythsmoke]

Originally Posted by On_the_up Shhhh, stop talking about walking, he might get the wrong idea, he already refused the captaincy twice before.

good un'....

[waqar_ahmad]

On THe Up

Love your sig haha

[OZGOD]

Younger brother - is that kind of a backhanded comment? Why couldn't he have just said brother?

[MIG]

To show who's incharge...

[Muhammad]

Originally Posted by OZGOD Younger brother - is that kind of a backhanded comment? Why couldn't he have just said brother?

He's a bit older than Shoaib, I think it's justified.

[Bublu Bhuyan]

Now that Mallik have been saked from the captaincy, whom will Yousuf lash onto ?

[On_the_up]

Originally Posted by waqar_ahmad On THe Up Love your sig haha

well it had to be said, quite topical at the moment.

[minhasuz]

Now the pitches would be prepared according to our side because Younus was the one who criticized the pitches and now he said he will tell them to prepare pitches which suits us(Pakistan). Good to see this from new captain, Malik saab was shy saying these comments

[waqar_ahmad]

Originally Posted by On_the_up well it had to be said, quite topical at the moment.

You do realize that your sig makes half the threads on PP irrelevant, right

[IronMan2009]

Khan expects pitches to be prepared that will suit leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and fast bowler Umar Gul against Sri Lanka.

- Suitable for Gul/Kaneria not suitable for Kula/Murali/Tushara/Mendis.. interesting.

[Geordie Ahmed]

Good stuff Younis Khan BUT please dont be doing 'talk' 'talk' 'talk' - get on with things and start making your mark on the team because all these statements will be used against you if things dont go too well

[waqar_ahmad]

Originally Posted by IronMan2009 Khan expects pitches to be prepared that will suit leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and fast bowler Umar Gul against Sri Lanka. - Suitable for Gul/Kaneria not suitable for Kula/Murali/Tushara/Mendis.. interesting.

IT doesnt not matter. Make wickets where bowlers can take wickets.

[IronMan2009]

Originally Posted by waqar_ahmad IT doesnt not matter. Make wickets where bowlers can take wickets.

I don't say they shouldn't do. But i wonder how they can possibly do that lol

[Mythsmoke]

Originally Posted by IronMan2009 I don't say they shouldn't do. But i wonder how they can possibly do that lol

the pressure is on the Pakistani bats in this series.

[waqar_ahmad]

Originally Posted by Mythsmoke the pressure is on the Pakistani bats in this series.

THe pressure on both batters and bowlers Myth. I think we will be playing a very young attack, and if it does not deliver, we cant win. In the past, our batters have failed but our bowling comes to the rescue. This time, its gonna be tough

[waqar_ahmad]

Originally Posted by IronMan2009 I don't say they shouldn't do. But i wonder how they can possibly do that lol

haha....it might happen, after all its not inzi or malik in charge now

[Mythsmoke]

Originally Posted by waqar_ahmad THe pressure on both batters and bowlers Myth. I think we will be playing a very young attack, and if it does not deliver, we cant win. In the past, our batters have failed but our bowling comes to the rescue. This time, its gonna be tough

agree with your asertion of young attack
but still pressure is on batsman.....its been a long time when our bolwers helped to defend a low score in any form of the game against any top flight competition

[On_the_up]

Originally Posted by waqar_ahmad You do realize that your sig makes half the threads on PP irrelevant, right

I think there should be a separate forum for all the Afridi eulogisation