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Pakistan cricket’s clown prince Shahid Afridi had the press in stitches during his post-match media conference in which he announced his latest retirement from Test cricket.
Sadly, the real joke is on the longest form of the game.
It took the captaincy to lure Afridi back into the creams after four years of only turning out in coloured clothing.
His reckless play in the Lord’s Test was one thing, the ease with which he gave up his post was something altogether.
Instead of looking remorseful about the failed experiment and causing further instability within the Pakistan side, Afridi joked he couldn’t resist trying to slog every ball he faced for six.
He didn’t prepare properly for the Test and said he was not mentally up to playing the game.
Basically, he could not be stuffed.
That is fair enough but the way the 30-year-old still took up the Test captaincy and was ready to hand it on after only one match was disappointing.
It showed a genuine lack of respect for Test cricket.
And if there were any doubt, his comments demonstrated his thinking.
“One-day and Twenty 20, I am enjoying myself and you can get the result in one-day,” he said with a cheeky grin.
Afridi is revered in Pakistan and it is worrying that a similar attitude could be taken up by the millions of youngsters in his homeland that adore him.
Imagine the fall out in Australia if excitement machines Andrew Symonds or Dave Warner took a similar stance.
The appearances of Afridi and Australia’s Ricky Ponting and Simon Katich after play could not have been more marked.
Afridi rocked up for his press conference in his side’s coloured training kit while Ponting and Katich were still in their creams.
The soon to be former skipper denied the lure of easy money in Twenty20 had influenced his decision to turn his back on Tests.
“I think I have enough money,” he said.
“If I am playing for money then I would not continue as a captain in Test cricket (for the second Test at Leeds).”
Afridi said was carrying a side strain and wanted to have a farewell match at Headingley next week.
Surely the Pakistan Cricket Board can beat him to the punch by dumping him.
While Afridi is one of the most captivating players of his generation to watch, Test cricket is much better off without him.
Meanwhile, Salman Butt will take over the Pakistan captaincy from Shahid Afridi for next week’s second and final Test against Australia at Headingley, tour manager Yawar Saeed said on Saturday.
Saeed added Butt, currently the vice-captain, would also lead Pakistan in their subsequent four-Test series against England, starting at Trent Bridge on July 29.
Afridi announced he would be retiring from Test cricket following the Australia finale after leading Pakistan to a 150-run defeat by Australia in the series opener at Lord’s here on Friday.
“Salman Butt will be the captain for the next five (Test) matches, starting against Australia in Leeds,” Pakistan tour manager Saeed revealedto AFP, adding wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal would step up into the role of vice-captain.
Left-handed opener Butt was Pakistan’s top-scorer in both innings at Lord’s with innings of 63 and 92.
After the match, which Pakistan lost with more than a day to spare, Afridi said the 25-year-old Butt, who has now played 28 Tests, should become captain.
“Salman is showing his maturity,” Afridi explained.
“He’s good enough to take over this team as captain.”
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