New Pakistan captain Salman Butt is hoping to build a team in the image of perhaps his greatest predecessor Imran Khan.
New Pakistan captain Salman Butt is hoping to build a team in the image of perhaps his greatest predecessor Imran Khan.
Butt's tenure began with an unexpected series-levelling victory over Australia at Headingley last week, instantly soothing the shock of Shahid Afridi's resignation and retirement after just one Test as captain at Lord's.
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| Salman Butt and Mohammad Aamer (left) train at Trent Bridge yesterday. PIC/AFP |
That latest installment in Pakistan's always unpredictable story means they should begin a four-match npower series against England at Trent Bridge today with confidence high.
At 25, opening batsman Butt will perhaps need to battle the Pakistani culture of deference to age ufffd as well as come to terms with the other demands faced by any Test captain ufffd if he is to make a success of a job in which so many have recently failed.
He acknowledges elder statesmen have often been the men favoured to lead Pakistan, but takes issue with the premise that age should come before cricketing nous.
"It is true in a way that it has been like that ufffd you always give it to the senior people," he said.
"But if anybody is better, or better equipped, to lead a team ufffd it is the right of the nation to have that person in charge, rather than a person who is old.
"Whoever can deal with the situation better, handle things better, it's the right of the nation to have that person."
World Cup-winner and great all-rounder Imran is the man Butt believes personifies the style he hopes to emulate. He said: "Imran was the greatest captain of all time that Pakistan have had. It was the courage he showed ufffd because when he started he had very limited resources, and he picked players who hadn't even played first-class cricket and he made them world-beaters. To pick a person from nowhere, and know the ability he has will shine for him one day, is something to admire. Then the courage to put them in straight away, and allow them to be themselves, is something not many people have."
Butt is happy to give his team licence to play with their natural flair. "That is the best way for a person to do well ufffd relax and be yourself. When you try to be something else, I don't think it works for most people."
