Time for dispassionate analysis

Two days after their total capitulation against Australia, the Pakistan team is desperately trying to get its bearings back and salvage something from the series. Starting soon after dawn, they trained for four hours on the beach on Monday morning, and from tomorrow they will resume nets at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

With Abdul Razzaq gone for six weeks with a fractured wrist, the result of a Brett Lee thunderbolt crashing into his left arm, Shahid Afridi is being sent over as a reinforcement for the third Test. Yousuf Youhana, who had earlier been asked to come over, has not fully recovered from his shoulder injury.

Pakistan coach Richard Pybus said that the team needed an experienced all-rounder. Considering the conditions in Sharjah, it is sensible to fly Afridi over, as it will give the team another spin option. "Afridi's inclusion will strengthen the team as he is an aggressive competitor", said Pybus.

One can only say better late than never, for the dynamic, three-dimensional Pathan should have been part of the team in the first place. And chief selector Wasim Bari - who has a habit of going into hibernation the moment there is a disaster, only to resurface when things are calmer - surely needs to explain Afridi's absence from a side which in any case contained too many new faces.

Meanwhile the still-to-be-accepted resignation of the PCB chairman has created tremors of its own. With one Test remaining in the series, it is surely an ill-timed decision. The team, which was already in a state of turmoil, is further disturbed by it. This is reflected in the captain and coach's responses; both have regretted the decision. "I don't know what's going to happen, but his resignation is sad news. I really don't think the chairman should take the blame for our defeat," said Waqar Younis.

The rumour-mill is already working overtime as those positioning themselves for the chairman's job start canvassing for it aggressively. The feedback from Pakistan is that one from out of a quartet of the same old tried and tested hands may take over. Some were just waiting for such a disaster to happen so that they could cash in.

Regardless of this expedient bunch of former PCB officials, some of whom have served the board many times over without distinction, the 2003 World Cup only four months and a bit away. With the emotional and impulsive responses already given, what is needed now is dispassionate analysis, identifying the problem areas and looking at possible solutions. Instead of making a bad situation worse, for the sake of Pakistan cricket, one has to look at ways to improve it.

The grim reality before this series was that everyone in Pakistan was expecting a thrashing. Though Pakistan lost at Colombo, it was anything but a drubbing, as the young outfit dealt as many blows as it took. Because of that, and also due to two uncharacteristic Australian collapses (the Aussies lost their entire side for 66 runs in one session in the second innings at Colombo, to end up at 127, and five wickets for 14 runs in the first innings) there was a brief revision of opinion.

Worse still, it unrealistically inflated the self-esteem of the side. But once the batting collapsed in the first innings of the second Test, like the proverbial pack of cards, and after the Aussies, through a Herculean effort by Matt Hayden, made them toil for four sessions in mind-boggling heat, there was no coming back. Australia have not just beaten but embarrassed all comers in recent times, and Pakistan's surrender in just two days was really a freak (it has only happened 16 times before).

So instead of getting unnerved, and throwing out the entire establishment, rehabilitation is needed. Far less resourceful outfits than Pakistan have bounced back in the past, and quickly. The thorny area for Pakistan remains the inconsistent batting. Afridi's recall is a move in the right direction, for despite his injudicious choice of shots, he remains one of the most devastating batsmen in the game.

Two new talents, Taufeeq Umar and Faisal Iqbal, have shown that they have the technique and the guts to progress in the big league. Yousuf Youhana will be back shortly, and so will Inzamam, if he opts to forego an operation and take injections to withstand the inconvenience caused by injury to his heel.

Despite the ouster of Saeed Anwar and Wasim Akram, this could make the nucleus of a squad for the tours to Southern African hemisphere, where Pakistan take on Zimbabwe and South Africa immediately before the World Cup.

Pakistan have lost a match badly, and with it the series, but could still rebuild a competitive side from the ashes. Instead of recriminations, all concerned should be pulling in that direction.