Disgruntled Pakistan batsman Younis Khan said Friday he was disappointed at being dropped from the one-day side and said he would step aside from all cricket for for five months to allow the team to rebuild.
Next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is due to be held in February — five months from now — and the 36-year-old is unlikely to be picked given his poor form in limited overs in recent years.
But he remains Pakistan’s best middle-order batsman in Tests, where his absence could seriously hurt the team’s chances against Australia and New Zealand.
“Don’t select me, not even in Tests. I sacrifice my future,” Younis told reporters in Karachi.
“Why are we rebuilding this (team) in the last three, four months?”
The stylish right-hander, who averages over 51 in Tests with 24 centuries to his name, has seen turmoil in the past and has a reputation for his outspoken comments.
In 2006 he refused to stand in for then-injured skipper, Inzamam-ul-Haq, saying he did not want to be a “dummy captain”.
He led the team to World T20 glory in 2009, lost the captaincy, and later refused to take it back when offered.
Younis said experienced players like himself were mistreated by the selectors.
“I came back and then suddenly they said for me, or for players like me, that we have no future. Then who has a future? So a player like me should shoot himself, should we abandon playing cricket?” he asked.
“They have hurt me, if you say that I am not in future planning then it hurts. I am fit and I am committed. If they had told me that (last month’s) Sri Lanka series is your last then I would have left with respect.”