(Cricket News) Though the timeline for the final decision is unclear, many sources indicate that the Quetta Gladiators are considering replacing Sarfaraz Ahmed as captain of the team, capping an eight-year tenure at the helm.
The Gladiators had declared Sarfaraz as their captain on PSL draft day; it is customary for franchises to announce their captain for the purposes of the draft, though changes can be made thereafter.
The Gladiators, who have gone from being the most consistent PSL team to the most underperforming over the past four years, have already made changes to their backroom staff.
Most notably, former player Shane Watson has taken over as head coach, replacing Moin Khan, who has moved on to a directorship role.
Former Pakistan bowling coach Shaun Tait has also been appointed as the side’s fast-bowling coach.There is no official word on a potential replacement, but Saud Shakeel, whose leadership is highly regarded in domestic circles, and Rilee Rossouw, who rejoined Gladiators after a spell with Multan Sultans, are probably among the front-runners. It is understood that Watson will be consulted about the situation.
“I know players have a shelf life, but I think over Pakistan’s history, we tend to dump players unceremoniously,” Omar said. “It is the elephant in the room. Wherever I go, people ask me this. But our franchise is a bit different from the others in the sense that we have a very intimate relationship with these players.”
“There are many reasons why Sarfaraz has not performed well over the past few years, including the way the PCB abruptly fired him when he still had a few years left. We will not fire him abruptly; we will give him full credit.
Sarfaraz told me he would be happy to step aside if Quetta wants to make a change. We will make a decision after speaking with Shane Watson in a few days.” Sarfaraz, 36, was named Gladiators captain at the league’s inception in 2016 and guided his team to the championship game. A few weeks later, he was named Pakistan’s white-ball captain, leading his team to the 2017 Champions Trophy title.
He guided Gladiators to the PSL title in 2019, but his declining form resulted in his dismissal as Pakistan captain across all three formats within a year, and he was dropped from the national team.
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