Youhana incident: A lesson to be learnt by all

LAHORE-The Pakistan cricket team has an uncanny knack of inviting unnecessary trouble and controversy. The latest one hitting the headlines involving Yousuf Youhana falls in the same category.

It is really good that Youhana, after revealing his account of the whole episode, has got some measure of reprieve straightaway from the PCB Chairman.

The most unassuming of the whole lot, to the point of being docile, Youhana was sent back from Kenya on charges of insubordination. He was accused of not following skipper Waqar Younis? instructions to appear at the nets. And cut to the quick, Younis saw to it that Youhana - the most consistent and the highest run-getter under Waqar - was sent back in disgrace.

It is entirely another thing that Youhana was the wronged party, and twice so if his version is to be believed. And we have no reason not to give credence to it, because the PCB apparently accepts his version of events, which is quite apparent from the press release issued after he met Lt. Gen Tauqir Zia, the PCB Chairman.

According to the press release, Youhana informed the Chairman that he "had been carrying a shoulder injury from Tangiers, which was not given due attention by the team doctor at an early stage." An MRI scan, much later in Nairobi, confirmed that he did have a shoulder problem.

"I was doing individual training on the ground, but did not go for the nets because my shoulder was under treatment then", says the PCB press release quoting Youhana.

"Youhana for his part assured the Chairman that his not going for the nets, as skipper Younis demanded, was neither deliberate nor an intention to shirk usual training", said the press release.

Again quoting Youhana, the press release says: "Let me state that I want to perform for my country to the best of my ability. And I have utmost respect and regard not just for the Pakistan captain but all seniors as well. I regret any unintentional offense that I may have caused".

The Chairman's verdict, after he spoke to Younis and team management on the phone [read confirming Youhana's version]: "The tour disciplinary committee was fully authorised to take the action that they have and indiscipline should neither be tolerated nor condoned. Still in my considered opinion, the whole incident was a bit overblown.

"So, while the PCB would be making every effort that there is no compromise on discipline, at the same time every endeavour would also be made that team spirit and camaraderie was not sacrificed by magnifying events and incidents that were otherwise not grave in nature".

Both Yousuf Youhana and captain Waqar Younis, says the press release, wholeheartedly agree to this assessment of the situation. And in what is indeed an honourable acquittal for Youhana, "The PCB was likely to take a sympathetic view in case of Youhana because of his unblemished disciplinary record. He has immediately been handed in to the care of Dr Tauseef Razzaq to attend to his shoulder injury so that he regains full fitness as soon as possible".

One doesn't have to read between the lines to deduce from the press release that, though he has chosen to back the tour management to the extent of not overturning its verdict, Lt Gen Tauqir Zia is totally unconvinced about the rationale of such an extreme measure. And rightly so. Whether the captain and the tour management are wise enough to take their cue from this is a moot point.

It is a shame anyway that such an incident happened. And to avoid a repeat, Waqar Younis would be well-advised to remember that a skipper has to be above getting perked up at imaginary slights, settling of scores and browbeating his charges. That is if he wants to command respect, and lead the outfit to victories.