03 January,2009 12:52 PM IST | | PTI
Shoaib Malik says he would prefer to have a long-term tenure as the captain of the Pakistan cricket team as appointment on series to series basis puts any skipper any under more pressure.
However, chief selector Abdul Qadir has insisted that the captain should be appointed on series to series basis.
Malik's tenure as captain expired on December 31 but PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt has said Malik will be retained as captain when the governing council of the Board meets on January 15.
"I am happy with whatever the Board decides but it is a fact that appointing the captain on a series to series basis adds pressure on him. It is better if the captain knows his terms clearly," Malik told reporters in Lahore.
"If the Board wants to retain me as captain I would be very happy and feel honoured," he added.
Qadir though said there should be separate captains for the Test and one-day teams and the leader of the team should be announced only ahead of the series.
"I have full regard if the Chairman has said Malik will be retained as captain but I would suggest having the captain on a series to series basis," the former Test leg-spinner said.
Malik said leading different teams in domestic cricket has also helped him enhance his leadership skills in the last 18 months.
"I have captained the Sialkot and Punjab teams to domestic titles in recent months and it has helped me grow in confidence."
Malik said he was looking forward to the home series against Sri Lanka but admitted it would be a tough series as Pakistan had not played a Test for 12 months.
