LAHORE
Staff Report
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq’s suspension for the first Test against Sri Lanka has denied him a chance of closing in on a Pakistan record.
He was already on 15 consecutive Tests as Pakistan captain and eight more would have helped him equal the all-time Pakistan record of Abdul Hafeez Kardar.
Kardar was the Pakistan captain in 23 consecutive Tests in the 1950s and that hasn’t been broken as yet.
Kardar was Pakistan’s first Test captain when they first played a Test in 1952 and this stat shows how difficult it has been for captains over the years to hold on to the post for a decent time.
Imran Khan, the World Cup-winning captain and probably the most respected Pakistan leader ever, has only got a maximum of 16 Test matches in a row in the 1980s.
Imran is on the same pedestal with Waqar Younis, who has also led in 16 consecutive Tests. While Imran’s tenure in the 1980s was often cut short with Javed Miandad being brought in, Younuswas always under the threat with Rashid Latif, Wasim
Akram all playing during that time.
Misbah took over at a difficult time and has brought some sanity to the proceedings in Pakistan cricket, leading them well against teams like Australia, England and South Africa. He would surely have liked to go past the two greats Imran and Younusand close in Kardar, but that was not to be.
Many in Pakistan cricket circuit believe that Mohammad Hafeez is the right man to take over and if the team does well in Galle under the allrounder, there may just be pressure on the PCB to make him the captain on a long-term basis.
