Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq deserves to be admired for not only his successful leadership but also for his indefatigable composure which he displays even when faced with extreme pressure and in situations which at times may not be of his liking.

Since taking over as the national captain five years ago he has remained a dignified individual, not only as a sportsman but also as a person. In the circumstances he took charge, Pakistan as a cricket team was in tatters, facing the wrath of the critics for the controversies that disgraced them.

Allegations of spot-fixing, changes in captaincy and political wrangling within the team and the cricket board was disturbing enough for any mortal to give it up and turn his back to have a peaceful presence in a lot lighter environment than leading a disjointed team of men looking for some kind of dignity and respectability.

With a glittering record as a captain and also as a batsman Misbah is no ordinary cricketer. His ninth Test century on Thursday against England was another example of his dedication to the game he so loves and in which continues to excel, defying all the criticism that was heaped on him over the years.

Only last year he made his critics eat their words by making a record equalling fastest century in Tests against Australia at Abu Dhabi.

With 60 Tests under his belt he still remains a potent force in Pakistan’s rather unpredictable outfit. Sharing two very valuable stands, first with Younis Khan, who also remains as productive a batsman as his captain, and then with gritty Asad Shafiq, Misbah set up yet another record for himself for being the oldest Test batsman to make a hundred amongst the current players and 13th in the list of oldest players who made a hundred in Test.

Fit as a fiddle with calmness personified, he remains a model sportsman for the youngsters who aspire to be in his shoes.

His ability to deftly tackle pace or spin and rotate the strike no doubt allows him to take the pressure on and then get out of it without much fuss, unruffled and unnerved.

Watching him bat may at times gives one the impression that he has been bogged down to an extent that he shows little concern to force the pace which earned him the tag of ‘tuk tuk’ (slow moving). But that surely is not the right image of a man who unquestionably has all the ability to explode when situation warranted.

We have witnessed that a number of times in the ODI matches when he played and also in Tests. Yesterday was not any different. His partnerships with Younis and Asad showed the kind of responsibility he shoulders as a captain and a premier batsman.

His first fifty of the innings yesterday may not have been that entertaining and eye-catching but his march towards the hundred was quite swashbuckling to say the least as he charged down the wicket to hit leg-spinner Adil Rashid on successive deliveries and then at the fag end of the day he hit Moeen Ali in similar fashion towards the long on boundary to reach his century.

Vintage Misbah is not finished yet. Today with Asad and the rest he may still pose plenty of problems if not dismissed early.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play