Pakistan captain Intikhab Alam has weighed into the mounting criticism of current skipper Shoaib Malik's style of leadership. Malik has been forced to respond to media reports this week that senior players including Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan, Shahid Afridi and vice captain Misbahul Haq are all eyeing his job. Allrounder Shahid Afridi was quoted as saying the dressing room culture in the current Pakistan squad is far from perfect. “I don't think he has the ability to keep players together,” former captain Intikhab Alam said on Wednesday. Malik has led Pakistan in two Test series and lost both since he was elevated as skipper last year. His appointment as captain runs until December, but there is growing doubt the 26-year-old allrounder will last that long. “Malik is not impressive at all and it's better the Pakistan Cricket Board should start looking for a new captain to lead the side against India at home,” next January, Alam said. Malik lost the Test series against South Africa at home in October last year before losing 1-0 in the three-Test tour of India in December. His performance in limited-over internationals is slightly better, leading Pakistan to 20 wins from 30 matches. Despite losing to South Africa and India, he set a new Pakistan record of 12 successive victories in one-dayers when Bangladesh and Zimbabwe played back-to-back series here earlier this year .Malik said he felt proud of the milestone, despite the fact it came against two of topflight cricket's weakest teams. A “record is a record and it's not under my control against which opponent we play,” Malik said after completing a 5-0 rout of Bangladesh. It's Malik's failure against stronger teams that most worries Alam. “That's the big problem,” Alam said. “When you play teams that are in the top rankings of world cricket, you get tested and on both occasions (against India and South Africa) Malik has failed.” Alam, a burly leg-spinning allrounder who led Pakistan in 17 of his 47 Test matches between 1959-77, said the current Pakistan squad experienced a void in leadership following Inzamamul Haq's retirement at the end of last year's World Cup. “Let's be honest, we don't have captaincy stuff in the present lot,” Alam said. “It's a big honor to lead your country, but on the other hand you should have a good cricketing brain and have some maturity to handle various pressures.” Malik has defended himself in the domestic media. “I think it will die down with time,” Malik told a leading Urdu language newspaper, Daily Jang, of the criticism. “I never asked for captaincy, but when I was offered the job I took it as a challenge and in the better interest of the country.” Lack of education, according to Alam, is another problem in the general development of cricketers. “Most of our cricketers come from humble backgrounds where they hardly get an opportunity to go to school, so that's another major problem in raising a good leader,” he said. Alam nominated vice captain Misbahul Haq as the best candidate to replace Malik. But Misbah, who has played outstandingly in all the three formats of the game over the last year, is not interested. “Captaincy brings an extra load of responsibility and I am enjoying my present status of vice captain,” Misbah told reporters in Lahore. Younis Khan, who was groomed for two years under Inzamam, and Afridi are the two other candidates. If it was a choice between that pair, Alam would opt for Afridi. “You have to take a chance with someone in the present lot, so why not see how Afridi fares,” Alam said. Udal to lead Middlesex Former England off-spinner Shaun Udal will captain Middlesex for the remainder of the season in the absence of the injured Ed Smith, the county cricket side confirmed Tuesday. Ed Joyce had been deputizing for Smith, who has an ankle injury, but is now considering his long-term future after a meeting with club officials. “It's a huge honor. We have a lot to play for during the remainder of the season, and we will be fully focused on winning our remaining fixtures,” said 39-year-old Udal. – AP __
