Younis Khan criticizes Shan Masood’s captaincy as Pakistan face backlash after heavy test defeat

The national cricket team continues to face criticism from former players after their crushing defeat at the hands of England in the first Test in Multan.

Among the voices expressing dissatisfaction is former Pakistan captain Younis Khan, who recently launched a harsh critique of Test skipper Shan Masood.

Although Younis refrained from directly naming Masood, his comments left little doubt about the intended target.

At a public event, Younis questioned Masood’s qualifications to lead the team, suggesting that he lacks the essential qualities of a captain.

"There are no qualities to lead a team in an individual, neither he is a leader material... still he has been given the responsibilities," Younis took an indirect jibe at Shan Masood.

"Just because the people feel that ye hamari sunta hai, achha padha likha hai, ye English, Urdu, Pashto achhi bolta hai toh isko kaptaan bana do (He may not be a good player but if he listens to us, and speaks good English, Urdu and Pashto, so let's make him the captain). Please, get rid of this thinking," he added.

According to Younis, Masood's appointment seemed to have been based more on his communication skills than his ability to inspire and guide the team.

“There are no qualities to lead a team in an individual, neither is he leadership material... yet he has been given the responsibilities,” Younis remarked, clearly aiming at the under-fire captain.

Younis's criticism went further, addressing what he perceives to be a troubling mindset in Pakistan’s cricketing circles.

The criticism comes in the wake of Pakistan’s dismal performance in the first Test against England, where they suffered a heavy defeat, marking their sixth consecutive loss in the Test format. Pakistan's position in the World Test Championship standings remains grim, with the team languishing at the bottom after yet another disappointing outing.

In addition to the leadership debate, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made significant changes to the squad ahead of the second and third Tests. Former captain Babar Azam, who has been struggling with form, has been dropped from the upcoming matches in Multan and Rawalpindi.

The newly appointed selection committee has also opted to rest Pakistan’s frontline pacers, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, for the remainder of the series, further signaling a shift in the team’s approach as they look to recover from their ongoing slump.