Flintoff had drinking problems in Australia too

Andrew Flintoff’s drinking problem during the World Cup has been written about in detail, with Duncan Fletcher, the England coach, saying that Flintoff “let him down” during the tournament. Now, further details about Flintoff’s penchant for alcohol is expected to be revealed in Fletcher’s new autobiography, Behind the Shades, which is likely to claim that a practice session on the tour to Australia earlier in the year had to be cancelled due to Flintoff’s problem.

According to the Sunday Telegraph, the autobiography will provide details on a net session which was supposed to have been held on February 1, 2007, a day before England’s penultimate round-robin match of the triangular CB Series. The practice was eventually cancelled as Flintoff had been drinking.

Ironically, England creamed Australia by 92 runs the next day, breaking a run of nine successive defeats through the Ashes Tests and the one-day series that followed. Flintoff’s contribution wasn’t much - he scored 3 and took 1 for 47 off eight overs - but England were saved by a maiden one-day century by Ed Joyce, while Liam Plunkett and Sajid Mahmood bowled fine spells with the new ball. That win sparked off a spectacular run, with England qualifying for the final and then beating Australia twice more to lift the trophy.

According to the daily, Fletcher’s book is expected to detail the discussions that were held within the team management on February 1. There was the option of going public with the incident, but the management eventually decided not to take ay action. The decision seemed to have paid off when England won the CB Series, but in the World Cup the problem resurfaced in a major way, with Flintoff being one of six players fined after drinking in a nightclub after losing to New Zealand and 48 hours before playing Canada. But attention focussed on Flintoff who fell off a pedalo in the early hours of the morning. He was later stripped of his vice captaincy.

The autobiography is also expected to reveal that Flintoff stayed in the Australian dressing room till midnight after England had been beaten in a demoralising second Test in Adelaide. England made 551 for 6 in their first innings, but were bundled out for 129 in the second and ultimately lost by six wickets.

Younis set to replace Salman as vice-captain for Indian series

Younis Khan, who refused the captaincy earlier this year saying that he cannot handle the pressure, is now set to take over as the Pakistan team’s vice-captain for the tour of India.

Sources told ‘The News’ on Saturday that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to appoint Younis as the vice-captain in place of Salman Butt. The left-handed opener is set to lose the job after a string of unimpressive outings this season.

Younis was set to take over as Pakistan captain following the resignation of former skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq after a disastrous World Cup this March but stunned everybody by refusing to accept the responsibility saying that he was unable to cope with the stress that accompanies the job.

The PCB later picked Shoaib Malik as Pakistan captain.

In a major turn of events, Younis accepted Shoaib as his new captain and has now also agreed to become his deputy for the tour of India starting from November 1. The PCB will make a formal announcement about the appointment today.

Abdul Razaq returns

Pakistani all-rounder Abdul Razzaq has announced that he is taking back his decision of retirement from the International Cricket and is returning back to the International arena. He thought that upon his decision, Dr. Nasim Ashraf, the chairman of PCB would go delirious with joy, and Salahuddin Sallu, the chief selector would perform a “Bhangra” and the rest of team will throw a party, while nation will celebrate an Eid-like day.

Amazingly enough that didn’t exactly happen. Dr. Nasim Ashraf expresses his “utter” amazement at Razzaq’s decision and said that he thought perhaps Razzaq was somewhere out there fitting the CNG kits in the cars, and Salahuddin Sallu said indifferently that Razzaq cannot join the national team straight away and he would have to show his performance in the domestic cricket.

Abdul Razzaq has said that he made a mistake in haste, when he took retirement from the cricket after getting dropped from the Twenty20 squad, and now after much ponder and discussion with his coach and club, he realized his blunder and now want to play again for Pakistan. Now Abdul Razzaq will represent Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy, and if he succeeds in showing his form and fitness in the first class matches, then he might get a chance in the team.

Abdul Razzaq has always been a dumb thingie. He never was able to show any consistency in his performance. He was neither a bowler nor a batsman, rather a bizarre mixture of both. He only performed in some of the ODIs, where he used to slog in the final five or so overs. But now for quite sometime he had become a useless component of team. Then, he demanded that he should be made captain of the national team, after the ignominious departure of Inzi. Upon this dumb and ridiculous demand, everybody laughed and board just ignored him. He then went to Indian Cricket Leauge (ICL), and still his status is unclear in ICL.

Sehwag replaces Dravid for first two one-dayers

Rahul Dravid and Dinesh Karthik have been left out of the Indian squad for the first two one-dayers against Pakistan. Virender Sehwag makes a comeback, as does Gautam Gambhir, who recently recovered from a groin strain, while Uttar Pradesh allrounder Praveen Kumar is the only new face. The series kicks off on November 5, with the first ODI in Guwahati.

Niranjan Shah, the BCCI sercretary, annoucing the squad and said the 15 were picked in consultation with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian captain, who couldn’t be present at the selection committee meeting, which took place at Motera in Ahmedabad where the Challenger Trophy is being played.

Dravid missed out on the final one-dayer against Australia in Mumbai recently and there has been speculation about his spot being under threat. Dilip Vengsarkar, the chairman of the selection committee, said Dravid was “rested”. “We decided to give him a break. He’s a great player and he will be back soon.” Vengsarkar insisted the squad had been only been picked for the first two ODIs, thereby clarifying that Dravid would be considered for the matches ahead.

But Vengsarkar said Dravid, whose position has become uncertain for the first time in a decade, needs to prove his form and fitness. “Fitness and fielding have become very important in the one-day game so he will have to show it playing for his state [Karnataka].

Karthik, despite his fine Test form, has struggled in his last ten one-dayers, averaging 19.33 with a highest score of 44 not out. He replaced Dravid for the final ODI against Australia in Mumbai but ended the game with a duck.

Sehwag returns to the squad after a five-month break. He cracked a fiery 75 in the Challenger Trophy match today and played a part in India’s recent triumph in the ICC World Twenty20. “He has been among runs recently and even today he showed he was in good form,” Vengsarkar said. The squad now has five openers, including Gambhir, taking his spot ahead of S Badrinath, who had replaced him for the final leg of the Australia series Vengsarkar did not say what position Sehwag would bat at.

Kumar has been one of the most consistent bowling allrounders in the domestic circuit in the past few years. He ended with 30 wickets in seven Ranji Trophy games last season, which placed him eighth on the run-charts, and backed it up with some handy cameos as well. “Kumar gives us an [all-round] option. He has also played a crucial role for India A recently. Badrinath was brought in for Gambhir earlier, but he’ll get his chances, too,” Vengsarkar said.

Kumar was picked for the allrounder’s slot ahead of Joginder Sharma, who was part of India’s winning team at the ICC World Twenty20. Vengsarkar said Kumar was preferred considering current form.

Squad for first two one-dayersSachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Robin Uthappa, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt & wk), Irfan Pathan, Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh, Murali Kartik.

Dravid dropped for first two Pakistan ODIs

AHMEDABAD, India (Reuters) - Indian selectors have dropped experienced batsman Rahul Dravid for the first two one-day internationals against Pakistan next month.

Dravid, 34, averages less than 10 in his last 10 one-day matches and was dropped for the final one-dayer against Australia earlier this month.

"We wanted to give him a break for a while," chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar told a news conference on Saturday.

"He is a great player. He will be back very soon."

Pakistan will play five one-day internationals and three tests in India from Nov. 5.

Explosive opener Virender Sehwag, dropped for the England tour due to poor form, regained his place.

"He's back in form," Vengsarkar said of Sehwag, who was part of the team that won the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.

Dravid, one of seven batsmen in the world to score over 10,000 one-day runs, gave up the captaincy last month after the England tour.

He looked out of sorts in the one-day series against Australia, scoring just 51 in five completed innings. The visitors won the seven-match series 4-2 after the opening game was washed out.

"If they need him, he'll be there for the next few games," Vengsarkar said of Dravid, dropped from the one-day team for only the second time in his career.

"Fitness and fielding are very important. We have given him a break."

Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Yuvraj Singh, Saurav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Robin Uthappa, Irfan Pathan, Rudra Pratap Singh, Rohit Sharma, Murali Kartik, Zaheer Khan, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar.

Dravid pushed to the wall, Viru in

The national selectors on Saturday sprung a major surprise by dropping former captain Rahul Dravid and recalling Virender Sehwag in the 15-member Indian one-day squad for the first two matches of the upcoming series against arch-rivals Pakistan. The 34-year-old Dravid, who struggled for runs right through the recent ODI series against Australia, was left out of the team which has Uttar Pradesh paceman Praveen Kumar as the lone new face.

Left-handed opener Gautam Gambhir, who missed the last four matches in the series against Australia because of an injury, expectedly made a comeback in place of S. Badrinath in the team announced by BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah after a meeting of the selection committee here.

Apart from Dravid’s exclusion, Sehwag’s recall was also a surprise as the Delhi batsman has not scored too many runs to justify his place in the team. Chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar said Dravid was being given a break and should be back in the team soon.

"We haven’t spoken to him yet. We wanted to give him a break for a while. He is a great player and he will be back soon," Vengsarkar told reporters after the meeting which lasted close to two hours.

Vengsarkar also said the selection committee had consulted captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni over telephone before finalising the squad for the first two matches to be held in Guwahati (November 5) and Mohali (November 8).

"We have consulted Mahendra Singh Dhoni over phone," Vengsarkar said adding that "those who have not been picked definitely have a chance to make a comeback".

On Sehwag, Vengsarkar said he had performed well in the current Challenger series and in the past against Pakistan.

"Sehwag has played a fine innings today and he has also performed well in the past. He is an experienced player," Vengsarkar said referring to Sehwag’s 57-ball 75 in the third match of the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy here.

The chairman of selectors said pacer Praveen Kumar, who picked a five-wicket haul on Friday, gave option to the team. "Praveen has also done well for India A and he give the team options," he said.

Suresh Raina was among the prominent name to have missed the bus despite his impressive 92-run knock in the ongoing Challenger Trophy and added abilities as a top-class fielder inside the ring.

Besides, wicketkeeper batsman Dinesh Karthik, Mohammed Kaif, spinner Ramesh Powar and pacemen Ajit Agarkar and Munaf Patel also failed to find a place in the squad.

The selectors also decided not to implement a rotation policy and retained seniors like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly.

Sachin set to be test captian

Sachin Tendulkar is set to be named captain of the Indian Test team soon. He is likely to get the formal nod for the Test series against Pakistan when the selectors meet again during the second ODI at Mohali on November 8.

Rahul Dravid, who held the Test and ODI job for over two years and till the tour of England last summer but who voluntarily stepped down soon after, now finds himself dropped from the ODI team for poor form. Mahendra Singh Dhoni continues to be the skipper of the ODI team and will also lead in the Twenty20 version. The split captaincy was always on the cards after Drvaid abdicated. The selectors had chosen Dhoni for the T-20 job even before the Indian team left for England. With his young team succeeding to the extent of winning the World Cup in South Africa, the committee has to continue to nominate him for the instant varieties.

The agenda of the chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar will be served best when Sachin is named to lead India again in Test cricket. It was his wok in the background as well as Sharad Pawar-led BCCI’s loud thinking that Sachin should take over the reins before the tour of Australia that forced Dravid to give up the reins even after leading India to a historic Test series win in England that had come after 21 years.

A West Zone orientation in cricketing matters became apparent with the nomination of several former players as cricket managers or coach of national teams. Dravid who was well ensconced in the hot seat, may have allowed his sensitivity to get the better of him when he gave up the coveted job.

Vengsarkar had initially brought Sachin in as vice-captain for the World Cup in the Caribbean because he felt the senior cricketer had grown distant from the younger elements of the squad on the tour of South Africa on which Virender Sehwag was the deputy to Dravid.

A disastrous World Cup meant that the pressures were on Dravid who felt quite isolated from the rest of his team that crashed out even before reaching the Super Eight stage. He may have tinkered with the idea of stepping down straightaway but Dravid ploughed on only to prove that he was no quitter and that success would come on the field if the national team stayed united.

Sachin who was a self confessed failure at leadership had stepped down to make way for Sourav Ganguly in 2001. The aura around the captaincy and the commercial stakes behind it subsequently became so humongous that there is no one who does not nurse an ambition to be India’s captain.

Shoaib vows memorable India tour

Shoaib Akhtar vowed on Saturday to make the upcoming tour of India memorable after the paceman was recalled to the team for the crucial series against the arch-rivals.

“I promise that I will do my best and give my full effort on the tour of India to help my team win both the one-dayer and Test series,” Akhtar said in an interview.

The 32-year-old Shoaib was recalled on Friday for possibly his last tour of India after he served a ban of 13 international matches, punishment primarily for hitting a teammate with a bat last month.

Shoaib was also fined 3.4 million rupees after he struck fellow fast bowler Mohammad Asif on the thigh after team practice in Johannesburg ahead of the inaugural World Twenty20 championship.

He was placed on probation for two years, which means he could be banned for life if he again breaches the players’ code of conduct.

The punishment meant he missed Pakistan’s Test series and four one-day matches against South Africa. He has been named in the squad for the fifth and final one-dayer against the Proteas here tomorrow.

Shoaib vowed that his career was back on track after the mistake which he described as something he would rather forget.

“What I did was silly and happened in a fit of anger,” he said.

“I apologised to Asif, to the team players and to all my countrymen and now I hope that my career will not suffer again.

“I have missed a lot of cricket due to injuries and other reasons, but now I want to focus on my game and do my best for the country,” said Shoaib who played his last Test in South Africa in January this year.

Despite the intense rivalry between the two teams, Shoaib said he is respected in India and is looking forward to the tour.

“This may be my last tour so I must do something special for the fans in India so that they remember me in a good way,” he said.

His only complete tour of India was in 1999 when, as a newcomer to the Pakistan team, he took eight wickets in the Asian Test championship match at Kolkata — including the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid off successive deliveries.

“Those were the golden moments of my career and I still want to get Tendulkar and Dravid’s wickets because they are special players,” said Shoaib who missed Pakistan’s 2005 India tour due to injury.

His last tour to India ended in ignominy after he and fellow paceman Mohammad Asif were expelled after testing positive to the banned steroid nandrolone, two days before the start of the Champions Trophy.

Shoaib was banned for two years and Asif for one year before the bans were lifted on appeal.

Shoaib said both the one-day and Test series will be exciting.

“Since our pace attack is better than theirs I feel the balance is tilted towards Pakistan and if we bat well then we can return as winners.”

Pakistan leave for New Delhi on November 1 and will play the first of five One-day Internationals at Guwahati on November 5. It will be followed by three Tests in New Delhi, Calcutta and Bangalore.

No special Australian security for Muralitharan

Cricket Australia on Friday denied introducing special security measures to protect Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan from crowds Down Under, saying existing measures would catch any offenders.

Muralitharan arrived this week for his first full Australia Test tour in 12 years, braced for a chilly reception from fans as he bids to break local hero Shane Warne’s Test wicket record.

His arrival on Wednesday raised eyebrows when a federal police officer escorted him through the media throng in Adelaide, unusual in laid-back Australia, where England players last year often mingled freely with fans.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Friday that plainclothes security officers would be sent to sections of Australian grounds near Muralitharan’s fielding positions to swifty idenitfy and eject trouble-makers.

There are fears the Sri Lankan could receive unsportsmanlike treatment in Australia, where he has been called for “throwing” on two previous tours and subjected to constant crowd calls of “no ball.”

Sensitivities about crowd behaviour in Australia are particularly high after the recent one-day series in India, when the only black player in the Australian side, Andrew Symonds, was subjected to racist chants.

The Sri Lankan boycotted a 2004 tour to Australia because of constant crowd abuse about his bowling action — and Australian Prime Minister John Howard’s assertion that he was a “chucker”.

Cricket Australia said its existing crowd monitoring program, introduced after South African players were racially abused two years ago, would protect Muralitharan.

“There’s not a specific Muralitharan protection program,” Cricket Australia public affairs manager Peter Young told AFP.

“But we have a national program to ensure that we have a family friedly environment in cricket, and as part of that we do have plainclothes people in crowds.

“We (also) have closed circuit television and any spectator who subjects a player to inappropriate behaviour will be detected and ejected very, very quickly.”

‘Murali’ needs just nine wickets to overhaul Warne’s 708 Test scalps in the Test matches in Brisbane and Hobart starting on November 8 and 16.

Warne and Lara to light up Hong Kong Sixes

Cricketing superstars and former rivals Shane Warne, Brian Lara and Glenn McGrath will team up this weekend, hoping to fire an all-star team to victory at the Hong Kong Sixes.

The tournament, first held in 1992, produces frenetic cricket in which six-a-side teams bat for only five overs each innings and every fielder has to bowl.

Batsmen retire when they reach 31 runs, and matches last no more than 45 minutes.

The all-star squad, which also includes Anil Kumble, Craig McMillan, Geraint Jones and Heath Streak, will compete against nine national sides over two days at the Kowloon Cricket Club, set amid Hong Kong’s towering skyscrapers.

Famous for its devil-may-care style and raucous crowds, the Hong Kong Sixes tournament has a record of attracting the world’s top players, with Viv Richards, Sachin Tendulkar and Andrew Flintoff all appearing in past tournaments.

Organisers hope the competition will grow further on the back of the recent success of the short-form Twenty20 game and the massive interest in cricket in south Asia.

Harsh Sabale, an Indian entrepreneur based in Hong Kong, recently bought the rights to the event for eight years and has big ambitions to boost its international appeal.

“The Sixes is a lot of fun and it seemed wrong for it not to have a much greater profile,” he said. “We hope to promote it as a major television event in the future.

“As cricket gets shorter, Sixes is well placed to deliver dramatic action that is above all fun to play and fun to watch. It produces fantastic entertainment, which is the most important thing.

“Obviously we are very gratified by the string of world-class players who have come to Hong Kong this year to play, and we are also delighted by the level of enthusiasm among the public.

“We sold all the tickets within days and the only problem that we have is coping with fans who are desperate to see the cricket but can’t get into the ground.”

Brian Lara, speaking at a kids’ cricket clinic ahead of the tournament, said: “It is going to be an exciting time playing alongside all the guys I have played against over the years.

“The Sixes is exciting stuff and since I retired, this is my first stint back on the cricket field, so I am looking forward to it.”

Taking on the all-stars in the hunt for the 100,000-dollar winners’ cheque will be teams from Australia, Bangladesh, England, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka.

Last year’s tournament was won by outsiders South Africa, who beat favourites Pakistan in the final.

England must respect their county cricket

Shane Warne believes that England need to show more respect to county cricket, but feels that the new coach, Peter Moores, is taking the country in the right direction.

“Under Duncan Fletcher England didn’t pay enough respect to county cricket and I hope that changes under Peter Moores,” Warne, the Hampshire captain, told the London-based Sport magazine. “I think this last season with Hampshire has been the strongest one I’ve ever seen for county cricket and it’s seen young bowlers like Chris Tremlett, Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson come through to the national team.”

Fletcher’s approach as England coach wasn’t overly sympathetic to releasing centrally-contracted players for their counties. His successor, Moores - a big advocate of the county system which nurtured him - has been more sympathetic.

He has also revived the international careers of players who had impressed for their county such as Graeme Swann and Ryan Sidebottom, both of Nottinghamshire.

It’s generally agreed that the county game is improving, particularly since the introduction of two tiers for the Championship. At last, the talent appears to be concentrating into the top of the first division, which the system was designed for.

Warne also had strong views on the decision to cut the number of overseas players allowed from two to one per county from next year. “I also think it’s important to have two overseas players per county,” he said. “It helps these young guys to play against the best and they definitely improve for it.”

It’s not just the English players who have benefitted from playing against the overseas players. Several Australian players who had county stints this summer have made a thumping start to their domestic season.

Cameron White, who played at Somerset, has continued his excellent batting form for Victoria. His team-mate David Hussey has eased from a successful season at Nottinghamshire straight into the runs for Victoria, via a useful Australia A tour in Pakistan.

White also praised county cricket recently - especially the effect it has had on Hussey. “I’ve no doubt county cricket has definitely helped his game,” he said.

“Over the last four winters he’s been [playing county cricket] he’s probably facing a couple of thousand balls out in the middle while everyone else who’s not playing cricket is hitting indoor bowling machine balls. There’s no doubt I think that makes you a better player over there, batting all that time.”

Doug Bollinger and Phil Jaques may not have had the best of times at Worcestershire but, following the A tour, they are back on the money for New South Wales.

Shoaib Akhtar finds his way back into Pakistan squad

Pakistan on Friday recalled fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar for next month’s one-day series in India, writes Khalid Hussain.

The national selectors have named a 16-man squad for the five-match ODI series which will begin on November 5 in the eastern Indian city of Guwahati.

Apart from bringing back Shoaib, the selectors also inducted young Karachi all-rounder Fawad Alam in the squad and also gave another lifeline to misfiring opener Imran Nazir.

“A fit and in-form Shoaib Akhtar is an asset for the Pakistan team,” chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed told ‘The News’. “He adds another dimension to our bowling attack for what is an important series,” he added.

Shoaib, 32, is expected to make his comeback in the final one-dayer against South Africa in Lahore on Monday after having served a 13-match ban over misconduct.

Shoaib Malik will be leading Pakistan in India where the tourists will also play three Tests. Salahuddin said that the Test squad will be announced just before the conclusion of the ODI series.

Vice-captain Salman Butt managed to keep a place in the squad in spite of a series of unimpressive outings in recent times. There was, however, no room for fellow opener Mohammad Hafeez.

“This is the best possible squad,” said Salahuddin. “We have experienced batsmen in Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan and also some big-hitters like Shahid Afridi and Imran Nazir.”

Salahuddin, a former Test cricketer, said that Pakistan have a lot of variety in their bowling attack with Shoaib adding fire to the pace attack that also has Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul and Rao Iftikhar Anjum. “Then we have four spin options in Abdul Rehman (left-arm spinner), Afridi, Shoaib Malik and Fawad Alam,” he said.

Salahuddin said that Fawad is a promising cricketer who can do really well on slow and spinning wickets in India. “He is good batsman against spin bowling and can also be used as a slow bowler.”

Pakistan are to leave for New Delhi where they play a warm-up game before flying to Guwahati for the first one-dayer.

Pakistan’s ODI squad: Shoaib Malik (captain), Salman Butt, Imran Nazir, Yasir Hameed, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Shahid Afridi, Misbah-ul Haq, Fawad Alam, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Asif, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, Rao Iftikhar Anjum and Abdul Rehman.

Itinerary for the ODI series: Nov 5: First ODI, Guwahati. Nov 8: Second ODI, Mohali. Nov 11: Third ODI, Kanpur. Nov 15: Fourth ODI, Gwalior. Nov 18: Fifth ODI, Jaipu

Razzaq takes back retirement decision

Abdul Razzaq has taken back his decision to retire from international cricket and is available once again to represent Pakistan. The allrounder’s decision comes after discussions with his local club and long-time coach.

“I have reversed my decision and am available for Pakistan once again,” Razzaq told Cricinfo. “I have had many discussions with P&T Gymkhana and my coach, Azhar Zaidi, and we felt it was better if I took back my original decision. Maybe I made that in the heat of the moment.”

Razzaq announced his retirement from international cricket in August, in protest at being ignored by the selectors in the squad for the ICC World Twenty20. He accused the selection committee and the board of not treating him with enough respect and dropping him for matters other than his form. The selectors maintained that he was still in their plans for ODI and Test cricket, though his form in those formats has been unconvincing over the last year or so. In his last 15 ODIs, he averages 17.30 and has taken only 12 wickets.

Three fifties and 38 wickets in his last 15 Tests have also done nothing to help his cause, though injuries have hardly helped the process. He missed the Test series against South Africa late last year and the World Cup in the West Indies subsequently. In 2005, he also missed the home series against England with an elbow injury.

Razzaq now plans to take part in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam trophy for Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL). The doors back to international cricket will not open immediately, however. Salahuddin Ahmed, chief selector, said Razzaq would need to show that he was back to his bristling best. “Let him play first-class matches first and prove his form and fitness there. After that, the doors are always open for every first-class cricketer in the country,” Salahuddin told Cricinfo.

And further obstacles may exist in the form of the Indian Cricket League (ICL). Razzaq was one of four Pakistani players to sign up for the league and the Pakistan board still maintains that anyone who does turn out in the ICL will not represent Pakistan.

Mohammad Yousuf, another player to sign for the ICL, was convinced by the board to opt for Pakistan instead, though no similar efforts were made with Razzaq. The league has threatened legal action against Yousuf. Razzaq says, however, he will wait and see how matters develop before deciding on a course of action as far as his contract with the ICL is concerned.