It’s funny as the first test concluded, ones thoughts runs through the huge void in the middle order of the Pakistani Batting line-up. The absolute over-dependence on Mohammed Yousuf and Younis Khan has hurt Pakistan so much, that I bet the PCB would know look back and see how irrationally and impulsive their decision was to leave out a true giant of a cricketer in every aspect of the game, Inzamam Ul-Haq. Even on the days where the two big “Y’s” of Pakistan are on song, the depth for the killing touch in the game, the one that surely nails the coffin on the opposition, is sorely missing and the guy with the hammer was Inzamam Ul-Haq.

The bitter loss of the world cup campaign was harsh for the sub-continental teams especially India and Pakistan. Pakistan took the brunt of the huge pressure following the demise of Bob Woolmer. Inzamam had retired from one-day cricket but offered to play on for more in the test match format. He also expressed his desire to not take up captaincy anymore. And what followed was a remarkable fairy-tale story of two teams from the sub-continent that took the brunt of the pressure and abuses from the cricketing public, who just like that in a fortnight changed things around in the twenty-20 championship.

Following the loss of the world cup, there were cries out in the street baying for the heads of the oldies… every blog, every discussion forum, fan mails all crying out and baying for the heads of senior cricketers like Sachin, Rahul, Ganguly and Inzamam, to roll. None of these individuals participated in the Twenty-20 world cup. There was a real sound logic and application in the selection process to not include these cricketers and it made perfect sense. But the euphoria that followed the fine performances of these two younger generation teams also caught up with the selectors. Drowned by the euphoria, PCB failed to apply the same cold logic in its selection of building a test team where the transition is better handled, smoother and longer, true to the format of the game, played in sessions and tested in time, not “instant slam-bam thank you ma’am” cricket.

PCB jumped the gun, rejuvenated by the success this young team got and almost irrationally decided that Pakistan does not need Inzy anymore. The selection think-tank was convinced that Inzamam does not have a role to play any more… just like that!

Inzamam was not picked for the South Africa series and was finally offered to play his last test match in the series, after what I assume was Inzy’s request to have a final appearance and quit. As much as people talk about Inzamam being a cool calm and composed personality, I would beg to differ that he often has a certain irrational and impulsive rage, an instinct that sometimes makes him do actions that are truly irrational. His associated cricketing controversies stand testimony to that. He deciding to quit was perhaps one of those impulsive surges rather than a well collected thought. Or did Inzy himself get caught in the euphoria to the point that he himself believed that he was no more needed? His last 20-20 style innings in the test match also reflects on that impulsive rage that perhaps he was not in the frame of mind to think clearly.

Nevertheless, the reality check was Pakistan didn’t win the series against South Africa but there was the glimmer that things will settle down. But in continuance with the India series, it looks like a far fetched reality that Pakistan is doing any better and Pakistan’s batting certainly looks hollow in the lower middle order. Misbah Ul-Haq has not had a great start to his test career so far. He did play an innings of character in the first test match against India and people vouched him to be the next Inzamam Ul-Haq. Of course, Misbah humbly rubbished it, but the fact is Misbah is old too… he is not a young 20 year old and probably has only a few years left in front of him. So why drop Inzamam? Or why couldn’t they have had the judgement to think with a clear head and draft Misbah or any other talent with Inzamam around? As much as I like Misbah, I am seriously of the view that he may not be playing for another 10 years and therefore those shoes of Inzamam would now have to be filled in by someone younger, who can be groomed over the years and Inzamam had another 2 years of cricket left to do the grooming.

So like all euphoria’s, when it ends, comes hard, cold reality and then the after-thought “oh! Shit! What did I just do?”. If Pakistan loses to India in this series, surely PCB in the confines of their secretive board rooms would be kicking themselves on what they did to Inzy. For the rest of the world, let’s enjoy him playing at the ICL championship and once again relive those Inzy moments but it is sad that he could have actually played on for a few more glorious years at the highest level.

P.S: you might also be interested in reading Inzy’s recent interview