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The Rediff Interview / Moin Khan

'The main reason for Pakistan's inconsistent performance is poor fitness'

Moin Khan was thrown into the hot seat of Pakistan cricket when he least expected, and the team's fortunes at its lowest ebb. After a disastrous tour Down Under, Wasim Akram stepped down from captaincy, citing health and family reasons, and Moin became the automatic choice to lead Pakistan. However, 'lack of communication' -- as he cites -- between him and the board, forced him to refuse the offer. Saeed Anwar was the next choice and the opening batsman led Pakistan against Sri Lanka in the one-day and Test series, in Pakistan, which was won by the Lankans. Series over, an injured Anwar opted out for the ensuing series -- at Sharjah and against the West Indies -- which left the selectors no choice but to ask Moin to take over the reins. This time the soft-spoken wicketkeeper accepted the offer. And after losing the first two outings at Sharjah -- against the Proteas and the India -- he did well to guide his team to the title in the Sharjah tournament.

Keeping wickets and leading a side ain't the easiest of jobs. Ask Andy Flower of Zimbabwe and Alec Stewart of England. Moin has, however, has done a commendable job by pulling around a side ridden with individualists and untamed egos. In a freewheeling interview with Faisal Shariff, Moin speaks about his experiences while playing under Imran Khan and Wasim Akram, the match-fixing allegations and the problems afflicting the Pakistan cricket team.

Now that you are captain of Pakistan, how difficult is the job? Did you expect it to be so difficult?

It is not so difficult because I have been captaining my PIA team, my state Karachi, the under-19 team. I have handled captaincy at all levels. It is basically a difficult job with wicket-keeping, but I don't feel any pressures. I was so confident, that is why I took up the captaincy. I had been offered the captaincy before but I refused because I wasn't mentally prepared, and there was a communication gap between the board and me. But now I have full confidence in myself and I have full support from my board, from my country. That is why I am doing it and I don't feel any discomfort in it.

You are saying that you are mentally well prepared... after the Australian tour you were asked to be the captain and you refused? What was the main reason for turning down the offer?

It was just that there was a communication gap. General Sir (Tauqir Zia) was going to attend the ICC meeting in Singapore, so that is why he didn't have enough time, and even I didn't have enough time to think about it. I wasn't prepared to accept it. That's why I refused it.

Now that you are the captain, what do you think is the essence of captaincy? What have you learnt since you became captain?

Captaining is basically about being a role model for the other players -- the youngsters -- who see and learn. And also the captain must have the decision-making power; he should be able to decide and improvise immediately and must have the guts to take the blame. If he makes a wrong decision, he must take the blame. There are many things: like you should know the players' psyche, so that you know how to utilize him. That is the main thing in the game. When everyone is doing well in the team every thing comes very easy. But when you are losing that is very difficult to handle. It all depends on you. You must have lots of patience, you have to be relaxed when players are not performing.

You have played under Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram and Salim Malik. Have you learned from these people? Have you learnt anything from them that you might have tried to implement in your captaincy?

I have learnt a lot of things. Cricket is the main thing I have learnt from them. It is a learning process. From them I have learnt how to give respect to players, how to talk to players; I mean the senior players. How to deal with them during the game; how to make them perform.You should know these things. Some players are such that you have to be a bit strict with them. With some players you have to be polite and they will give 100 per cent effort. All things these I have learnt from all of them. From Wasimbhai, Javedbhai and Imranbhai. There was quite an age gap between Imran Khan and the players. So when we used to play, we didn't talk that much with him. But with Wasimbhai we used to talk, and Javed Miandad is now our coach and we have played under his captaincy also.

How difficult is it for you to captain a side with two captains already?

It really depends. As long as they are cooperating with me. Their cooperation with me is enough.

Personally, as a player, don't you feel odd?

Yes, but it's like this: Wasim Akram is at present my cricketing idol and the fact that he is playing under my captaincy makes me feel very proud. I am captaining the team since the board has decided that I can handle the captaincy even though Wasim is still around. I also feel that I have such a great captain and such a great player there with me. I have so much advantage because whenever I have a problem during the game, I always go to him and he backs me up.

So do you make the decisions on the ground?

It depends. Sometimes it happens that I make a decision but it might turn out wrong or right; but sometimes when I don't understand I go to the senior players like Wasim, Inzamam and talk to them. Then we collectively take decisions in the game.

Pakistanis are one of the most talented teams in world cricket. But what is the reason for the inconsistent performance of the Pakistan team? One day they will be up there and the next day they will dish out a dismal performance.

Actually, we have been facing fitness problems over the last two years. So that is why sometimes our performance goes up and sometimes it drops. The main reason for Pakistan's inconsistent performance is poor fitness. Because our boys have not been hundred per cent fit. They play few matches, then are unfit. Azhar Mahmood is such a good player as also Saqlain. They play a match and then become unfit, and miss so many matches. Naturally, when you aren't playing matches then you lose match practice no matter how much you bowl in the nets, because practice is totally different. When they come back in the team they struggle and by the time they settle they get injured, and that is how our players miss the matches. Basically now we are concentrating on the fitness of the Pakistan team. We have included young boys in the team and they are performing well. They are fielding brilliantly. It all depends on the fitness I think.

So what is being done about the fitness?

We haven't got any professional trainer, we are trying to have a trainer. But we are managing with what we have learnt so far. Javedbhai is coaching us, he is training us, and we have Dr. Dan Kiesel as well. We don't have much time to do fitness training because nowadays there are so many matches. But now, the way the team is playing it's looking good.

So, obviously, you feel that besides fitness problems there is no other problem with the Pakistan team?

I don't think there is any problem as such.

Are there any problems amongst the players?

No, not at all. It had happened earlier but not in this team.

Then when did it happen?

Two years ago, I think.

What actually happened?

Problems happen actually because of allegations by players amongst each other. Then differences occur between them and I think it is wrong to put any allegation on anyone.

PART II
'Only those who are big hearted and take up challenges achieve success'

Interviews