But logic and Pakistan cricket have never gone hand in glove, and a captaincy crisis would appear to be looming large.

Till late in the night on Friday, the Pakistan team management was trying to convince a 'reluctant' Younis to captain the team on Saturday. If things pan out to Younis' satisfaction, he could stay on as the stand-in skipper, as appears likely at this stage.

It is learnt that Younis was first peeved when, despite being aware that he was unavailable for the Kolkata Test, Malik attended the pre-Test press conference there. In his column during the Eden Test, Younis had written that he was disassociating himself from some of the decisions as regards team composition, saying he was neither the 'captain nor the coach.'

The selection of Rao Iftikhar Anjum as reinforcement for the final Test when Younis' nod was for Abdur Rauf didn't amuse him at all. Younis left the ground midway through Friday's practice session citing a stomach ailment, but by then, sources reveal, he had all but made up his mind not to captain the team in the Bangalore Test.

Even as the team management was trying to convince Younis to reverse his decision, efforts were made to convince Mohammad Yousuf to skipper the side should the need arise.

But Yousuf himself is struggling with his own fitness, and reportedly turned the offer down. It is further learnt that Younis had not wanted to lead the team in Kolkata either, before he was convinced by the powers that be to take up the responsibility in that important game. At the time of going to the press, the top brass of Pakistan cricket were still trying to convince Younis to reverse his decision.

If Iftikhar is left out of the eleven and Younis is assuaged, the chances of him staying captain are bright; otherwise, Pakistan might have to choose between stormy petrel Shoaib Akhtar who is the seniormost member of the team, the returning Misbah-ul-Haq and erstwhile vice-captain Salman Butt for the top job.

Ankle sprain
Skipper Malik had suffered a left ankle sprain after the first Test while playing football. “We had visited a local orthopaediac surgeon this afternoon. The doctor was of the opinion that Malik will take another week to regain full strength,” Pakistan team manager Ehsan Malik told media persons.