One player ruining team spirit and unity: Yousuf

All the trouble in the Pakistan cricket team is just because of one player, senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf has claimed on Wednesday.

Yousuf, who led Pakistan in the disappointing Australian tour, said one single player was responsible for disturbing the unity in the team.

Yousuf even claimed that the team management also agreed with his viewpoint though he refused to reveal the name of the player in public.

"There is no doubt there is only one player in the team who is disturbing team unity and other players. I spoke to coach Intikhab Alam and other management about it and they agreed with me.

"I will only disclose his name to the chairman of the Board, Ejaz Butt," Yousuf told a TV Channel.

Pakistan lost both Test and One-day series and then the lone Twenty20 international against Australia.

Although Yousuf didn't take any name, but well placed sources said he was referring to former captain Shoaib Malik against whom some other players also complained that he disturbed peace in the dressing room.

Ironically, the Pakistan Cricket Board has named Malik as captain for the two Twenty20 internationals against England in Dubai this month due to a two-match ban on regular T20 captain Shahid Afridi.

Yousuf said he faced problems handling the team during the One-day series specially after media reports from Pakistan claimed that the PCB would appoint a new captain after the series.

Yousuf, 35, also made it clear that they were some players in the team who were not interested in playing Test cricket and that was affecting performance of the team.

Yousuf one of Pakistan's top batsmen who has a batting average of 53 in 88 tests and 42 in 282 One-day Internationals also conceded that he was not a natural leader.

"You find a natural leaders in thousands. I don't have natural leadership qualities in me but I have tried hard to do a good job of the responsibility given to me. It is unfair to compare me with Ricky Pointing as far as captaincy is concerned because he is far more experienced," said Yousuf.

"I accepted the captaincy in the best interest of my country."

Yousuf said he was ready to play under any captain even a younger player but anyone who is made captain instead of him should be a top performer.