Misbah hits back at Ian Chappel, talks retirement in latest column

Pakistan Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq hit back at cricket legend Ian Chappel for his comments after Pakistan lost the Test series to Australia 3-0, claiming that such comments from Chappel 'do not make any sense or suit a cricketer of his stature'.

Terming it as the 'worst possible scenario' in a recent column for a cricket website, Misbah claimed that the current Pakistani team should not have lost six test matches.

"Ever since we lost to West Indies in the third Test in Sharjah in October, we have not been able to regain our winning momentum that saw us briefly rise to number one in the world earlier this year. It all started with the batting collapse there and then a substandard performance in New Zealand. We reached Australia on the back of three defeats and the team was low on confidence," he wrote.  

Misbah stated that it was often claimed that batting was the decisive factor when a team was touring another in the overseas condition yet stated that in reality, the bowling always contributes significantly in the win or loss of a team.

"We always talk about batting in overseas conditions but it is actually bowling that wins you matches. When Asian teams tour Australia the bowlers have a bigger role to play than the batsmen. You need to have bowlers who can get you 20 wickets," he said.

Misbah was critical of Ian Chappel's comments in which the former Australian cricket had opined that Cricket Australia should stop sending invites to Pakistan due to the team's consecutive losses and sloppy cricket.

"Cricket Australia have got to start saying ‘listen if things don’t improve we will stop with the invites’," Chappel had said. 

This is what Misbah had to say to Ian Chappel. 

"I noted some very harsh comments from Ian Chappell about my place in the team, my leadership and about whether Pakistan should have toured Australia. I believe those comments were uncalled for and unbecoming to someone who has a vast experience of playing and watching cricket. The comments do not make any sense or suit a cricketer of his stature," he said. 

"Australia themselves have been on the losing side in the recent away tours. They were clean swept by a Sri Lanka side that did not have Mahela Jayawardena or Kumar Sangakkara and some of their players didn’t even have 10 Tests to their names. Then Australia lost the one-day international series 0-5 in South Africa. In the recent past they have been whitewashed by us in the UAE and in India."

"If we apply Chappell’s comments to Australia, does that mean if they continue to get whitewashed on the subcontinent on a regular basis then they should also not travel there?" he questioned. 

Misbah further stated that the upcoming Pakistan Super League tournament would determine his future as an international cricketer. 

"There have been lot of questions about my retirement but at the moment I have taken a time-out. That’s why I have not made any decision about it. I want to spend some time at home and then play in the PSL. I will then analyse how much passion for cricket I have left in me and whether I can play on," he said. 

"The PSL will be important for me in making a decision on my international future," he concluded.