Pakistan's chief selector Iqbal Qasim has termed as unfair calls for Misbah-ul-Haq's removal as captain in the wake of the national cricket team's whitewash in the Test series in South Africa.
"I don't think it is fair for these calls to remove Misbah as captain on the basis of one bad Test series. One must keep in mind that he has led the side ably and successfully since 2010," Qasim said today.
Misbah, who leads Pakistan in Test and ONe-Day cricket, has come under fire after the team was outclassed in all three Tests in South Africa.
Some former players, critics and fans have been demanding that the Pakistan Cricket Board should start looking for a new Test and ODI captain.
Misbah, who will turn 39 in May this year, has led Pakistan in Tests since 2010 and was also made the ODI and T20 captain in May, 2011 after the board sacked Shahid Afridi who announced a forced retirement in protest.
But in May last year, the PCB while retaining Misbah as Test and ODI captain decided to elevate Mohammad Hafeez as the T20 captain.
"To be fair we must remember that Misbah has led the side well in difficult times for Pakistan cricket since 2010 and has also performed satisfactorily himself as a batsman. We must remember that we have not played any international cricket at home in Misbah's tenure as captain because of security issues," Qasim said.
"He has done well and to judge him on basis of one bad series is not fair," the chief selector added.
Qasim admitted that Pakistan had badly lost the Test series in South Africa.
"No doubt we were up against the top Test side in the world and we were playing in demanding and different conditions. But we didn't expect the team to do so badly. What went wrong needs to be seen after the tour is over. To make demands for changes before that is not right," he said.
