Tags:
Journalism of Courage
The Pakistani challenge is here minus the hype and the hoopla. The team landed half an hour ahead of its expected arrival, to the sight of massive security that outnumbering the assembled fans.
They are led by Inzamam Ul-Haq who might have yellowed edges to his career but still makes for a good read. But this Pakistan team has everything not going for it.
Soon after touching down coach Bob Woolmer played a round of golf on the hotel lawns while keeper Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt were hunting for mobile SIMs to get connected.
Like a favourite uncle, Haq was placid and good-humoured at the press conference in the evening, answering every query and yet not saying anything. It8217;s all a game anyway, these press conferences, with journalists 8212; like lawyers 8212; never asking questions they don8217;t already know the answer to.
Haq pronounced that there were no opening worries, the spinners they had were world class and he expected a great performance from the medium pacers despite Akhtar8217;s non-availability.
Anyone covering cricket for the first time would call them favourites for the series.
Asked about achieving his landmark of 100 Tests, he joked that he was hoping his body would last the next three Tests. In Australia he missed the last two Tests through injury and was publicly castigated by Imran Khan.
He surely is in the final phase of his tenure as captain and seemed keen on some gamesmanship when he said the crowds in India, by cheering the home side, would increase the pressure on them.
Speaking on the changes in the team management since the last Indian series, Inzy smiled and said that he had been playing for 15 years and was used to the changes in the team. He surely won8217;t be smiling when the next change on the block happens to be him.
But where he clearly muffed up his lines was when he replied to a query about Younis Khan8217;s appointment as his deputy ahead of Yousuf Youhana.
Disappointed with the decision, he had earlier stated that 8216;8216;the India series was high profile and it would have been better if the board had maintained continuity8217;8217;. Today, he said that Younis had to prove himself as a vice-captain 8212; then capped it off by calling him Yousuf.
Younis was unruffled, he sat through the press conference with a large smile on his face. He took one question, on the pressure he was under, and dismissed it with a 8216;8216;there is no pressure on me8217;8217; line.
If anyone is under more pressure than Inzamam, it clearly is Woolmer. Counting the 22 cameras in the room he said he could gauge the extra pressure on him by the fact that the last time he traveled to India 8212; as coach of South Africa 8212; there were just four cameras.
And even the strongest of South African teams cannot create the buzz that an average Pakistani team, like the current one, can. Woolmer will feel the heat soon if he doesn8217;t have any wins to count before he departs from India.
Speaking of heat, the first test for Pakistan on this tour will come not at Mohali but in Dharamshala, where their three-day match against the Board President8217;s XI is likely to be played in freezing conditions.
There8217;s overnight rain forecast but Inzamam will be looking to lead his men through the cloud.
