Former Pakistan cricket captain Rashid Latif said that Mohammad Azharuddin could be the reason behind Younis Khan’s alleged misbehaviour with Grant Flower in the Pakistan dressing room.
The back story
Former batting coach of Pakistan, Grant Flower’s recent revelation about Younis Khan’s behaviour inside the dressing room gave birth to a fresh set of controversy. Flower recalled how Younis Khan once brought knife to his throat when the coach tried to give some suggestions. “Younis Khan quite tough to master. I remember one incident in Brisbane, during the Test, at breakfast, I tried to give him a bit of batting advice… But he didn’t take kindly to my advice and brought a knife to my throat, with Mickey Arthur sitting alongside, who had to intervene.”
Azhar could be reason
After the claim, Rashid Latif, former captain of the side tried to give more insights on the incident and identify reasons. “We do not know what happens inside the dressing room. But Azharuddin can be a reason for this. In 2016, Younis made a double century at the Oval. He (Younis) did not take the name of the batting coach (Grant Flower). He said that I was struggling and talked to Azharuddin,” Latif said in YouTube show called ‘Caught Behind’.
Latif referred to the 2016 Oval Test between England and Pakistan when Younis Khan hit a 218-run knock to help his team win and thus draw the series 2-2. After the match, Younis gave credit to Azharuddin revealing that he had called him up before the last Test of the series to take advice on how to stay longer at the wicket.
“That is a big factor that a player is crediting someone else rather than the coach. Flower must have contributed as a batting coach and served Pakistan. But I think this Azharuddin factor must have been somewhere in his (Flower’s) mind and he probably wanted to get back to him.”
