'Knee-jerk' reactions bane of Pak cricket

Former skipper Wasim Akram calls for stability in the national team, and urges PCB to stick with newly-appointed skipper Salman Butt

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has called for stability in the national team, and urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to stick with newly-appointed skipper Salman Butt.

"Shahid Afridi was appointed for a year and out of the blue he disappeared after one Test. That was a joke," Wasim wrote in an article for ESPN.

About the idea of recalling former captains Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, he said that it would only hamper the team's progress.

"There is a lot of hue and cry about Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, but I think it's time to move on. This team doesn't want those two players, the cricket board doesn't want them," Akram said.

"Move on, have a new captain, have new players, you'll probably lose one or two, but eventually in a year's time your team will be stronger."

"Salman is confident, a good leader and he's got guts. I have a feeling if he doesn't do well against England they will probably bring those two players back and bring in some other captain. That's the problem with Pakistan cricket," he added.

Akram was also of the opinion that Butt should back youngsters in the Test series against England, starting on Thursday at Trent Bridge.

"It's like what's happening in the country as a whole, it's part of the culture and cricket is the same," he added.