Younis Khan wants to lead Test side before retirement

Karachi, July 20: Senior Pakistan batsman and former captain Younis Khan has reiterated his desire to lead the national team one more time before his retirement.

Younis, 37, also insisted that he could still play one-day cricket and contribute to the team. Younis said he wanted to end his cricket career in the role of captain.

"If I get a chance to lead the Test team I will definitely accept the challenge once again," Younis said.

Younis, who has scored the most Test centuries for Pakistan, was captain in all three formats in 2009 before an internal players revolt led to him stepping down as captain while Pakistan were playing a series against New Zealand in the UAE.

Having led Pakistan to the World T20 title in England the same year the revolt by some players left Younis heartbroken and he preferred to take time out from the game as Muhammad Yousuf took over the captaincy and later Shahid Afridi became one-day and T20 captain.

Younis said he had always felt that captaincy was a big honour for any senior player and he would like to lead the current Test side. He also insisted that it was unfair on part of critics to compare him with current captain Misbah-ul-Haq.

"I should not be compared to Misbah I am more senior and experienced than him. I am also four years younger than him and my style of playing is more aggressive," Younis said.

Younis also talked about Pakistan's current ranking in one-day cricket and said if it failed to qualify for the 2017 Champions Trophy the national selectors should be asked about it.

"If we don't qualify for the Champions Trophy than questions should be asked off the selectors not players."

Younis also called for more consistency and stability in Pakistan cricket. Younis was the toast of the nation earlier this month after leading Pakistan to a record breaking win over Sri Lanka in the third Test in which he scored a memorable second innings 171 not out.

PTI