Karachi - Pakistan chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq has said that it is not easy to quickly find replacements for Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq and veteran Younus Khan as both are the pillars of batting lineup, reported Roznama Dunya on Monday.
The chief selector expressed his views while talking to media in Lahore. He acknowledged that these legends have left some massive shoes to fill and young players will take time to replace them. Inzamam-ul-Haq rubbished all the rumors that Misbah and Younus were forced to retire and made it clear that he had not said they will retire in next six months, he only said there are chances of that.
Some players are always remembered for their great performances. Misbah-ul-Haq and Younus Khan are among those, said Inzamam. Inzamam-ul-Haq told that the process to build a new team is underway. It is not at all easy to give chance to seven or eight new players in one series, but we have still managed to do that by picking up eight fresh cricketers for the ongoing series against West Indies, he added.
On a question about Salman Butt, Inzamam said that the selectors are not neglecting him, he is under the radar and will be recalled if the team need him. He also made it clear that those players who are not performing well will be dropped from the squad. Inzamam-ul-Haq, responding to a question, said the selection of a team is based upon performance and conditions, and selectors analyze requirements of the team instead of scores. There is no purpose of selectors if players are to be selected just on the basis of their scores, he added.
The former captain expressed his concerns over the lack of power hitters and admitted that Pakistan remained unable to find a batsman after Abdul Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood who could score quickly in last ten overs. He said that the hunt for good all-rounders is going on across the country to further polish their talent.
Talking about Sarfraz Ahmed, the chief selector said there is not threat to his position due to Kamran Akmal as he is team captain as well as permanent wicketkeeper, and Akmal is playing only as specialist batsman.
Expressing his views regarding the team that have been selected for West Indies tour, Inzamam-ul-Haq said Ahmed Shehzad performed well in Pakistan Super League (PSL) whereas Kamran Akmal was also in good form for a while, and that was why both of them were selected. He further added that it is not necessary that only those players will be selected in the team who have central contract.
Any talented player in any part of the country will be considered, he said.