Butt prepared to lead Pakistan in Tests

London, July 17 (IANS) Pakistan opener Salman Butt, who will replace Shahid Afrdi as Test captain after the latter’s surprise decision to step down, Saturday said he is prepared for the big challenge.

Butt, 25, will lead Pakistan in the second Test against Australia at Headingly Wednesday.

The stylish left-handed batsman said that Pakistan’s Test future is safe and showed faith in his young team to bounce back in the series.

‘Being the vice-captain meant if anything goes wrong you are the next man. So I was partially ready for something like this,’ Butt was quoted as saying in Cricinfo.

Afridi, who has successfully led Pakistan in ODIs and Twenty20 recently, came back to Test cricket after four years following a request from Pakistan Cricket Board to take over the reins of the longer version in absence of senior players from the side.

But Afridi after leading Pakistan in the first Test against Australia at Lord’s which they lost by 150 runs Friday, decided to retire, saying he longer has the temperament of playing the five-day game.

‘I knew nothing about it (Shahid Afridi’s retirement from Tests) beforehand. But I have respect for his honest opinion and he made a very good decision. He took the captaincy after we did not have a good tour of Australia, and we’d had a very difficult time, so he has done a great job so far.

‘He has been doing wonderfully well in the one-dayers and Twenty20. I really respect his decision about Test cricket because this is a totally different domain. It is a big decision to make and not too many people would’ve gone through and made a decision like he did,’ Butt said.

Asked what will be the biggest challenge, Butt said: ‘We have a very good young unit. The two new guys (Azhar Ali and Umar Amin) have done really well because the standard of bowling at Lord’s was world class. It is a step forward. If we play like a unit for the next eight to ten months, we will be a different team.

‘We still believe we can beat any side because it is this same side that won two Twenty20 matches against Australia, even though we lost two tight matches in Asia Cup. The average age of the side is under 25. The youngsters will play for the next 10-12 years, we can build a very good unit.’

Butt said it is a rebuilding phase for the team.

‘As a player my responsibility is to go out there and perform to the best of my ability. It does not matter who is the captain because I am playing for Pakistan primarily and secondly for myself.’