Unsung Pathan of the Cricketing Pantheon

Mohammad Younis Khan

Izzat kawa izzat ba dey kegi, goes a succinct Pashto proverb which implies: ‘One who respects others wins their respect in turn’

This axiom best describes the superlative temperament of this supremely talented cricketer hailing from the Mardan district of Peshawar division in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, well known for its sweet delicacies, varieties of kabab, scenic splendour, archaeological sites, and Sufi mysticism, as also two stars from the current crop Fakhar Zaman and Naseem Shah.

Younis Khan’s test cricket records are for all to see… 10,000 plus runs, ?more tons than half tons (34 vs 33), tons against every opposition, robust average of 52.05…and a lot more.

But there’s more to Younis khan that statistics can’t ever capture, like his ascetic mannerisms, matter of fact approach, and characteristic nonchalance that never made for poster boy stuff, his function-rich batting that was deemed rustic and unattractive, and his method in the madness which was never raved about.

An extraordinary gentleman, Younis khan has always been in a league of his own, both during his playing days and post retirement. TV viewing becomes instantly delightful when he is seen sharing his insightful perspectives on cricket and cricketers, devoid of dramatic pauses and animated gestures, just like how his batting was throughout his illustrious career.

His matter-of-fact utterances are inimitably adorned with organic grace and dignity, he is quick to express gratitude, and he stops short of claiming credit of any kind even when it is offered on a platter. No wonder why he is respected worldwide, but a big wonder that he remains one of the most underrated cricketers in the history of the sport.?

A lot has been written about his scintillating field exploits but most tributes have eventually? travelled on needless trajectories like comparing him to other Pak greats and world legends. Such endeavours are the favourite pastime of habitual offenders seeped in an uncharitable culture of validating heroes and zeroes in binary fashion, often with brazen pride and blatant prejudice.

Given that his wild back leg acrobatics at the crease were unanimously a subject and object of ridicule, very few chose to see his awesome strategy to avert LBW consequences on seaming tracks. In countering awkward situations, he had no qualms about looking awkward. For him, cricket was never showbiz. ?

He was one of the few players who know that cricket coaching is not an offshoot of playing cricket. Precisely why he completed a level one PCB course to learn more cricket laws and people management. ?

Gratitude is at the core of Younis Khan’s code of conduct. Be it the 2016 suggestion from Mohammad Azharuddin to go deep inside the crease to counter swing, the technical give and take with Ab de Villiers, the mentoring he got from the great Bob Woolmer, or the tips from Rahul Dravid at his behest during the 2004 Champions Trophy in Birmingham, he deeply values the help from legends, like very few in the game do. Ditto for his wilful walks back to the pavilion without waiting for the ump’s signal, once he knew he was out. Member of a diminishing tribe indeed!

A great constructor of a test innings marked by a fine balance between caution and aggression, both in ?home and away tours, Younis Khan has been the Rock of Gibraltar to save his team from adversity on numerous occasions. Cosmic irony indeed that he has had to endure great misfortune on the personal front - death of loved ones - on numerous occasions.

That Younis is a thinking individual, an ardent student of the game keen to share many a practice-driven insight for posterity, is hardly ever captured or cited, leave alone emphasised in media. Thankfully there are sweet exceptions like a 2017 ESPNcricinfo interview by Kalim Khan which highlights the humble Khan’s acumen and attitude, which were always free of proprietary claims.

His thoughts on the sweep shot, as the interview elaborates, are immensely helpful for both aspirants and veterans alike; he links it to sheer bravery, risking bat failures and brickbats that follow, and he lead by example, having swept the great Muralitharan on a turning track, having hit his 10,000th run with a sweep, and having scaled his triple ton with a reverse sweep. And yet, he has a pithy piece of advice for bowlers too: don’t get worked up by the sweep shot; try length and pace variations if you will, but bowl stump to stump and always regard the sweep as a wicket opportunity given the inherent risk it carries. A case in point was Younis’s brainwave, urging Danish Kaneria to let Kevin Pietersen sweep him to glory with deep square leg unprotected, and then surprising the batter with a googly to disturb the furniture behind.

His prudent approach to grip belies the world’s label for him, that of a bottom hand player. He finds the grip a function of situation, changing in line with the speed at which the ball is coming through the air and the extent of bounce in the pitch. He likens the bat with a fishing rod – best held way high in the handle – for maximum leverage, with an open acknowledgement that he was only emulating Adam Gilchrist and Abdul Razzaq in doing so.

The interview can be accessed at https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/kalim-khan-talks-to-younis-khan-about-his-batting-and-slip-catching-technique-1111995

Test cricket has a lot to gain if its stakeholders – players, coaches, support staff, administrators and spectators – revere this Pathan alongside the greats across all eras and nations.

Thanks to Rashid Latif for catching him young and helping him bloom

Thanks to Micheal Clarke for his words of praise for Younis Khan’s gentlemanly ways, as also his class act against left arm orthodox spin

Thanks to the one and only Geoffrey Boycott for the precious endorsement that reportedly paved the way for Younis’s Yorkshire stint

The great Wasim Akram delivers a statement as accurate as his toe-crushing yorkers when he says there is no better role model than Younis Khan for budding cricketers. Absolute Jaffa!