WITH a new chief already named by the PCB Patron, one hopes that things will be back on track sooner rather than later. Shahryar Khan is a much respected name in society and I am sure he will be very mindful of his new job’s potential to damage reputations within no time. If his initial remarks that were carried by the media after the announcement are anything to go by, he has certainly made the right start.
Just a quick look at what the media has quoted him as having said is enough to settle the initial nerves of any cricket follower. To start with, he has set great store by honesty, integrity and professionalism. He has been pretty emphatic that there would be no favouritism, no nepotism. This all sounds so good.
The cynic may well say — and there are many of them in this nation of 140 million — that such assertions are a matter of routine for anyone taking up any public office. All I can say to such diehard cynics is that it would have been much worse had Shahryar Khan not said such things at the very outset. Now that he has said this, let us give him all our support to prove that he did not just utter those words; he meant it.
In my heart I believe he can pull it off, and the reason why I so believe is some of his published remarks about the true nature of his job in relation to that of the PCB chief executive officer. He was very categorical on that count, saying he would be more involved with the policy, leaving its execution to the CEO, the way it should be. When he is so professional as to clip his own wings, I am sure he deserves to be given our vote of confidence.
Moving on, he has described cricket at the grassroots level to be his top priority. This again is just the approach that is needed to take care of Pakistan cricket’s long-term interests. I have repeatedly written about the importance of grade cricket in the overall setup, and I am delighted that the incoming PCB boss thinks on similar lines.
Cricket, or for that matter any game anywhere in the world, cannot flourish at the top if a regular stream of talent does not provide it nourishment from the bottom. Grade cricket is the nursery where you plant fresh saplings, protect them from various hazards, and groom them so that they may blossom in the seasons ahead. By concentrating on such a vital area, the PCB boss will do a great service to the game and, indeed, to the nation. And in doing so, he will surely get the cooperation of all who have the good of national cricket close to their hearts and minds. One thing more that he touched upon briefly was the practice of senior PCB officials doing running commentary on television channels, and described it as something undesirable and wrong. Even though what these words betray is simple common sense, it is indeed laudable that he wasted no time in making himself clear on issues that have raised much controversy in the recent past.
I have also seen writeups in the print media advising the new PCB chief to retain the old guards because they are ‘ideally suited’ for the jobs they have been carrying out. I found such comments laughable. I don’t know how Shahryar Khan would have reacted to them, but I am pretty certain that if he falls for such manipulated advice, he will be doing just what he should avoid.
WITH a new chief already named by the PCB Patron, one hopes that things will be back on track sooner rather than later. Shahryar Khan is a much respected name in society and I am sure he will be very mindful of his new job’s potential to damage reputations within no time. If his initial remarks that were carried by the media after the announcement are anything to go by, he has certainly made the right start.
