Younis Khan

Karachi: Senior batsman Younis Khan disclosed on Tuesday that if Bob Woolmer had not died and remained Pakistan coach he would not have hesitated in accepting the captaincy.

Younis told reporters in his hometown Mardan that he would have accepted the captaincy after the 2007 World Cup if Woolmer had been alive and at the helm of affairs.

“Woolmer was a great human being and a good coach. I liked working with him. If he had remained coach I would have taken up the captaincy when the board made me the offer after the resignation of Inzamam,” Younis said.

Woolmer died of natural causes during the 2007 World Cup in Jamaica on the day after Pakistan’s elimination from the mega event following their shock defeat to minnows Ireland.

Inzamam resigned after the debacle and the Pakistan board offered the captaincy to Younis which he refused to accept.

“Being captain is a big responsibility and I would have only felt comfortable if a coach like Bob was there,” he said. Younis, however, backed the current captain Shoaib Malik, who he felt should be given more time.

Bob Woolmer

“Malik is not a bad captain and he needs to be given more exposure and opportunities. The board must be patient with him,” the senior batsman said.

Younis also advised the government to think carefully before appointing a new PCB chairman after the resignation of Nasim Ashraf.

“I believe the chairman should be a professional who knows cricket closely and can communicate with the players,” he added.

Younis has been known for speaking his mind. Only recently he stood up for Shoaib Akhtar saying the fast bowler was actually a child in a man’s body. He felt Shoaib was in desperate need of some privacy to get his career back on track.

“Shoaib is a match winner and I have spent a lot of time with him ... He is like a kid who needs attention all the time... He is in need of extra care,” Younis said. (PTI)