KARACHI: Master batsman Younis Khan who only a fortnight ago had announced that he will retire from international cricket at the conclusion of the West Indies series, could possibly extend his Pakistan career.

According to sources close to the Test team in the Caribbeans, the 39-year-old stalwart, who is just 23 shy of reaching 10,000 Test runs, is now having second thoughts about quitting, provided the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) asked him to continue beyond the West Indies series that commenced on Friday in Kingston, Jamaica.

“I could have played more,” Younis said ahead of the series opener at Sabina Park. “But I think the right time to retire is when people still want you to play on, not when they are thinking your time is up. So I think it is a good time for me to retire.”

But the former national captain contradicted himself in the next breath when he said: “But I could still play on if the [Pakistan] team needs me. I will think about it, If they request me or people want me to stay, then why not? But it all depends on my team.”

But it is unlikely that Younis will get the chance to extend his Test career beyond the West Indies series since chairman of national selection committee Inzamam-ul-Haq is keen to move on after the Caribbean tour concludes and start a rebuilding phase under a new Test captain — most likely Sarfraz Ahmed the wicket-keeper/batsman who is already leading in the ODI and T20 formats.

However, sources close to the PCB hierarchy told Dawn the board is contemplating engaging Younis as an interim Test captain for the Bangladesh Test series later this summer.

“This will make a lot of sense because Younis is still good enough to command place in the Test team and by getting him to lead Pakistan in this format would also not put undue pressure on the new captain,” the sources said on Saturday. “Moreover, we must keep in mind that Bangladesh have made rapid progress in the past year or two and are side that cannot be taken lightly in any form. They shared all three series [ODI, T20 and Test] on the recent Sri Lanka tour and are also competing in the ICC Champions Trophy at the expense of West Indies.

“Pakistan will have to play very good cricket to beat Bangladesh when we play them this year. If Younis is available then Pakistan could benefit from his huge experience [of international cricket] for the Bangladesh tour,” the sources added.

Younis has led the country in the past in all three formats and was captain when Pakistan won the ICC World Twenty20 title in England in 2009 and immediately quit the shortest format upon returning home. He skippered Pakstan in nine Tests between 2005 and 2009, winning only one game. losing three and drawing the remaining five.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq, who also announced plans to retire after the West Indies a few days before Younis did, in a column for cricket-com.au stated he had urged Younis to play on.

“My personal feeling is that Pakistan still need Younis and he can play for another year or two, but I’m not sure if others agree with me or not,” Misbah writes. “I talked to him about it in Australia and told him that ‘you can play on’. Even though we have some very good youngsters in the team, the gap left by Younis’ absence will be difficult to fill.

“The Pakistan team will not just miss him as a batsman but they’ll also miss him as a mentor. He has been a terrific role model for everyone and it will be very tough to replace him.

“Every member of this team, including myself, has learnt a lot from him. He has changed our dressing room culture. If one wants to be successful in professional life, one only needs to regard Younis Khan’s organized and punctual lifestyle from breakfast to bed.”

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2017