Wasim Akram was the surprise exclusion from the 27-man camp announced for the Pakistan team's preparations for the upcoming season. Pakistan is to face minnows Bangladesh and a possibly depleted India for the Asian Test Championship followed by the visiting Black Caps. This move has disappointed millions of his fans in Pakistan as well as abroad. Wasim Akram was the reigning monarch of fast bowling after retirement of the illustrious Courtney Walsh from the international cricket scene.

Wasim Akram - one of the all time greats Photo CricInfo

With a splendid haul of 414 wickets in 102 Tests and equally precious 440 wickets in 319 One-day Internationals he brought unprecedented fame, honour and laurels to Pakistan. He was the only bowler in the history of cricket to have crossed the 400 wickets mark in both versions of the game. Throwing him out of a contingent that includes a number of new faces is not the respectable way of showing the door to such a great player.

Chief Selector Wasim Bari's assertion that 'he had not closed the book on players' test careers and Akram's exclusion from the camp was no indication that his career was over' is not a tenable answer. His next claim that 'we are starting a re-building process' is also a hackneyed phrase, one that has been heard by cricket lovers for many years now.

Speaking from London, Wasim Akram expressed the desire of passing Kapil Dev's mark of 434 test wickets, which is an absolutely genuine objective. Records are meant to be broken and here is a golden chance for Akram to break one. It is, however, clear with his current form and fitness Akram cannot touch the towering record of 519 wickets set by the great Courtney Walsh but Kapil Dev's mark is well within his reach. He needs only 21 wickets to become the 2nd in command to Walsh till some one else takes over. About a year's extension to his career would therefore be good enough for him to achieve the landmark.

Not only that records set by players are a matter of honour for any cricket country but depriving Wasim Akram of this distinction will be gross injustice to a player who has contributed so much to Pakistan's cricket.

Agreed, his tally of wickets per match has come down but let us not forget that Kapil Dev was almost at a similar level of performance when he broke Sir Richard Hadlee's record. While India vigorously pushed their horse towards the target, Pakistan seems to be doing the opposite. What great service for the glory of Pakistani cricket !

Discussing the merits and demerits of a basket full of pace bowlers invited to the camp, let me mention that half of them are physically unfit while the others may only be good for camp training and grooming for the future. None of them is yet competent enough to replace Wasim Akram. And. let us also not forget that there is no substitute for experience.

The Chief Selector's contention that ' this squad is only for a training camp while for Tests, players can be called from outside the list' is again baffling. Has he said so to keep anxiety and speculations rife for Wasim Akram fans? He should have realised that demoralisation caused to a great player can have deep rooted effects on his efficiency and morale.

A glance at the list of pace bowlers called for the camp will reveal that Shoaib Akhtar is back and clearly someone's hot favourite. He is not yet physically fit since he broke down during the course of play in England. An unfit Mohammad Sami who had a joyride to England continues to remain unfit. Shabbir Ahmed suffers from a suspect action and is reportedly sick.

Mohammad Akram and Fazl-e-Akbar got more than enough chances to prove their mettle at home as well as abroad but failed to impress. The little known youngsters like Irfan Fazil (1 Test), Yasir Arafat (two ODIs) and a new comer Naved Rana, are only suitable for junior cricket and not yet matured enough to take the burden of a tournament like the Asian Test Championship. Who out of them is tipped to take over from a giant like Wasim Akram? Showing the door to him without a suitable replacement is not cricket.

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