The Hindu : Sport : Dravid’s omission would help us: Younis Khan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Nov 04, 2007
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Sport

Sport

Dravid’s omission would help us: Younis Khan

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Younis Khan is far from an ‘oldie’ in this young Pakistan side but sounds like a wise man speaking from experience.

Whether it is the subject of excluding Rahul Dravid or the obsession of the two nations to replace seasoned names with young talents, Younis has strong views.

The Pakistan vice-captain minced no words in saying the absence of Dravid would “help us” because he had been the “backbone” of Indian batting for a very long time. In turn, he asked, “If India loses the first two one-dayers, would the selectors not recall Dravid? Selection should always be driven by planning, not compulsion.”

He emphasised the need to go slow on blooding the youngsters. “India and Pakistan follow the Australian way for many things. We are obsessed with young players. But the Australians do not drop a seasoned name till they have a replacement ready.

“We don’t have many seniors in the Pakistan team. You need experienced players in the side. It is like a family where the presence of elders is always a consolidating factor. A man like Sachin knows how to handle pressure better because he has been through pressure situations many times. He can be of great help to the youngsters in the dressing room.”

On his yardstick of quality replacements for seasoned campaigners, Younis said, “I feel a younger player should possess at least 75 per cent potential of the man he is replacing.

“Say, if Sachin has scored nearly 40 centuries since 1989, his replacement should have the potential to score at least 25 centuries in 10-15 years. I believe that junior players will get their time and learn to play. But being young should not be the biggest factor for selection.”

Younis, who turns 30 on November 29, did not agree that Twenty20 cricket was only for youngsters. “If players like Sachin, Dravid and (Sourav) Ganguly want to adapt to this game, it should not be difficult for them,” he said.

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