KARACHI: While debate will rage on the ‘controversial’ demotion of senior batsman Younis Khan from the ‘A’ category of the central contracts announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), there is no denying that the former national skipper had been treated harshly.

According to reliable sources, Younis is extremely flabbergasted at being placed in Category ‘B’ and is having a second thought about signing the contract; if he doesn’t ink his signature within the stipulated period, Younis well may jeopardise his immediate future with the Pakistan Test squad.

The sources claim that the PCB committee which prepared the list of contracted players overlooked a number of factors while placing Younis in the lower tier.

“Foremost, if the criterion for the central contracts was based on fitness, then Younis was probably the fittest cricketer at the month-long summer organised by the board on Lahore,” the sources told Dawn on Tuesday.

“And then if one takes a close look at his recent Test record then obviously Younis has fared better than most people [in the PCB] tend to think. There has to be a very strong reason for this demotion.”

Younis, who is now confined to ply his trade at the Test match level, expressed his desire to play in One-day Internationals so that he could stake his claims for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The 36-year-old last appeared in an ODI during the South Africa tour in March 2013.

The reliable right-hander — Pakistan’s fourth highest run-getter in Test cricket with 7,399 in 89 matches at an average of 51.38 — had accumulated 7,014 runs in 253 One-day Internationals. Admittedly his powers in limited-over cricket have diminished if gauged by his record (801 runs in 32 matches) since the 2011 World Cup in the sub-continent.

Younis, one-time Pakistan’s regular No 3, has obviously struggled in ODIs with the last of his six centuries coming against the West Indies at Abu Dhabi in November 2008. Since then he has scored 1736 runs in 75 matches at 25.91, almost below six his career average (31.88). Compare this stats with that of India’s young run-machine Virat Kohli, who made his international debut earlier that year. In 134 ODIs, Kohli, who bats at No 3, has plundered 19 centuries and 30 other 50-plus scores to aggregate 5634 runs at 52.16 per innings.

With the age catching up, Younis is not the batsman he was. But his presence in the Test line-up has definitely been a soothing factor for Misbah-ul-Haq who has often relied on the senior-most member in the squad.

Younis, who is three years younger than Misbah, still remains a fine cricketer who is held in high esteem by his team-mates, particularly Asad Shafiq and Azhar Ali, the two young batsmen who look up to him for inspiration and guidance. Both Asad and Azhar are placed in ‘C’ category.

The sources pointed that Younis would have stayed in the top group of players had Rashid Latif become the chairman of selectors earlier this year because the former Pakistan captain had planned to have Younis included in the ‘A’ category.

But as it transpired later, Rashid refused to take charge and Moin Khan was installed as the chief selector of a revamped six-member committee which also includes Mohammad Akram, who in addition is also the head coach of the National Cricket Academy.

The central contracts’ committee consisted of Moin, Akram and Zakir Khan, the PCB director of international cricket. And although the committee had done a reasonably adequate job, the treatment meted to Younis somehow seems infuriating to say the least.

The players in the top tier would receive Rs449,218 per month plus remunerations in shape of match fee and endorsement. The ‘B’ category players would get Rs314,452 in addition to other benefits, the ‘C’ category individual would earn monthly Rs 179,687 and ‘D’ category (also known as stipends’ group) would be earning Rs89,843 per month.

According to the formula charted out for the awarding the central contracts, the clause concerning the Test batsmen clearly says: “A batsman would have to be maintaining an average of 32.00 per innings and the promotion to a higher category will be based on the player improving his average by three.”

Similarly, the demotion to a lower category will occur should a batsman’s average drop by three.

“Younis deserves to be categorised in top tier of central contracts because his Test performances in recent times have been excellent and has averaged just over 49 since January 2013. How many batsmen in the current team boast average of more than 50?” a former Test captain, who requested anonymity, asked.

“You don’t come across a player like Younis every other day. He may not be classified in the same league as Inzamam-ul-Haq or [Mohammad] Yousuf the two players Younis had played with for the most of his career.

“But when comes to temperament and guts, Younis is right there at the top. And don’t forget his services for the country. He led Pakistan to World Twenty20 title [in 2009] and is one individual who has been an out-and-out team player,” he added.

“It’s time we learn to respect our heroes who are the role models for the future generation.”

Published in Dawn, June 11th, 2014