Younis convinces Ashraf to lead the side

KARACHI: Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Nasim Ashraf's timely intervention averted a crisis in the Pakistan cricket camp late Thursday night after both Younis Khan and Mohammed Yousuf refused to lead the side in the third Test against India in Bangalore.
    
Sources within the Pakistan camp said Ashraf held a long discussion with vice-captain Younis and convinced him to lead the side after the prolific batsman had protested over the domineering attitude of the Board and the team management.
    
"Younis was not happy at the way he was not consulted in team selection matters for the second Test. When he asked the Board to send uncapped pacer Abdul Rauf, the Board and the team management agreed upon having Rao Iftikhar as a replacement (of Sarfraz Ahmed)," the source said.
    
"This disturbed Younis a lot and he refused the captaincy in protest. But now the crisis is over."
    
Younis was asked to lead the side after skipper Shoaib Malik was ruled out of the final Test due to an ankle injury.
    
The source added that Younis wanted to make a point that he was not a dummy captain and if he was to lead the team the management and selectors had to listen to his suggestions.
    
Younis had also led the side in the second Test in Kolkata and also scored a match saving century in the second innings.
    
Younis had also turned down the captaincy offer after his team's failed campaign at the World Cup in the Caribbean following Inzamam-ul-Haq's retirement.