Pakistan's new skipper in the traditional form of the game, Shahid Afridi wants to follow World No 1 test captain M S Dhoni's tune and lead from the front
Pakistan's new skipper in the traditional form of the game, Shahid Afridi wants to follow World No 1 test captain M S Dhoni's tune and lead from the front
Mahendra Singh Dhoni may not have had a great World Twenty20, but his legacy as Test captain is still intact. He got the vote of confidence from none other than one of the most successful captains of the T20 tournament -- Pakistan's Shahid Afridi.
Dhoni had a disastrous tournament as India lost all their Super Eight matches while Afridi led Pakistan to the semi-finals. But, as Afridi took over the mantle of Pakistan's Test captaincy yesterday, he said it was Dhoni's style of leadership that he would like to follow.
"As a captain it is my responsibility to lead from the front. When the captain performs, the whole team gets charged up and it has an impact on the other players," said Afridi.
"Dhoni was a junior player when he became captain (in 2007) but with his performances, he established his authority on the seniors. I am not a junior, but I want to lead from the front like him," said Afridi.
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| India skipper MS Dhoni during the World T20. Pic/AFP |
"When the captain does well, it gets the players thinking that the captain is performing so we all should also take responsibility," he added.
Some experts were actually surprised by Afridi's decision to accept the captaincy as Pakistan's top job has proved to be a poisoned chalice. Most of his predecessors have had a terrible time. Shoaib Malik, Younus Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, all had forgettable experiences.
"In my career, I have faced a lot of challenges. This is one of the biggest challenges, especially as we are playing six Tests in English conditions (four vs England and two vs Australia). I have not played Test cricket for four years and it would have been convenient for me to skip this series too, but my country needed me and I had to take responsibility," said Afridi. Most Pakistan skippers in recent times have been reluctant to take up the job, but Afridi said that the Pakistan Cricket Board did not have to convince him. "It was my decision to take responsibility when the captaincy was offered to me," said Afridi.
The dashing all-rounder is now captain in all forms of the game.
He said it would be unreasonable to expect immediate results. "Our team is in the rebuilding phase. The main aim is to build unity and harmony, and mould it into a winning combo for the 2011 World Cup," said Afridi.
