Pakistan vice-captain Younis Khan believes Misbah-ul-Haq can fill the void in the team left by former skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq's retirement. Misbah played a gutsy innings of 82 in the first innings of the first Test against India in Delhi, to keep his team in the hunt.
"The innings by Misbah-ul-Haq was very mature and he seems to be an ideal replacement for Inzamam. He can play the big shots like we saw at the Twenty20 World Cup, but when we need a more defensive innings he can play that too, like we saw in Delhi. He has waited a long time for his chance so I am sure he is now determined to make the most of his opportunities," Younis said on his official website bigstarcricket.com.
Misbah's brilliant rearguard action helped Pakistan amass a healthy 231 in their first innings. In reply, India could not take maximum advantage and were bundled out for 276 in their first essay.
"In terms of the Test series, we feel 231 was a good score on that first day in Delhi because they were very difficult batting conditions. Those hazy conditions made batting tough though playing with a red ball was easier than it would have been with a white one," said Younis. The right-hander reflected back on the one-day series that Pakistan lost 2-3 and said that his team didn't take their chances.
"Of course the one-day series was also close at 3-2 and even though some may say India had won it before the fifth match even began, we feel we should have won two of the matches we lost in Guwahati and Gwalior," Younis said. Unlike in the ODI series against Australia, which was marred by on-field clashes between the two teams, Pakistan seems to have got along well with their Indian counterparts.
"We have been getting on with the India players well though there hasn't been too much socialising. I speak regularly to guys like Yuvraj, Harbhajan and Dravid but we haven't been to dinner or anything like that. We might just sit together at functions where the teams are both invited. Spirit amongst the players is good, though," Younis said.