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Bangalore: Pakistan stand-in skipper Younis Khan is under tremendous pressure for having agreed to play an unfit Shoaib Akhtar for the third and final Test. It is understood that Akhtar was suffering from the back pain even before the start of this Test match.
Some former Pakistan players have hit out at Younis and the Pakistan team management for picking Akhtar.
"Akhtar's fitness was in doubt and the management should have assessed his fitness before the match," remarked former Pakistan skipper Aamir Sohail, who is here as a commentator.
Former skipper Inzamam-ul Haq, who is playing the Indian Cricket League (ICL) in Panchkula, said: "Younis is within his rights to ask for the players he needs and the management should have provided him with the right players."
Wrong message
Younis is understood to have suggested playing Sohail Tanvir or Abdur Rahman in place of Akhtar. But Akhtar apparently convinced the team management that he was fully fit.
The pacer's muscle spasm is being attributed to the lack of rest after having taken antibiotics to cure a chest infection. The doctor who treated Akhtar in Kolkata was shocked at how Akhtar bowled in the second innings of the second Test match.
Now Akhtar is being held responsible for India piling up 626 runs. Pakistan went in with only three pacers mainly because they felt Akhtar was fully fit.
Back pain
When the pressure mounted on Akhtar for having played the match, he told some of his teammates he had suffered a back injury because he fell on the wicket, attempting a run out during the early part of the third Test.
Salman Butt even said in a post-match press conference that Akhtar got injured when he fell on the wicket. Unfortunately, television cameras had picked up footage of Akhtar rubbing his back even before he fell on the wicket.
Akhtar fielded the whole day on Sunday to make up for the time he was out of the field to enable him to bowl. Though he was eligible to bowl after tea, an angry Younis decided not to seek his services. Younis also feels Akhtar has let him down.
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