COMMENT: Sarfraz braces for long haul on road to redemption.

Byline: Khalid H. Khan

CAPTAINCY is a huge responsibility whoever is entrusted with the mantle. It is generally considered a job of honour and pride because not every individual gets the tag. While some are born leaders, others go through the hard grind to justify their acclaimed status. The sacking of Sarfraz Ahmed from two formats of Pakistan captaincy wasn't unexpected given the run of lows in the wicket-keeper's overall form with the bat.

Removing the 32-year-old from the leadership of the Test team was on the anvil but his sudden ouster as the T20 captain has certainly taken some by surprise, despite Pakistan's embarrassing 3-0 whitewash to seventh-ranked Sri Lanka in the recent home series, because he has previously led the country to an unprecedented 11 series wins on the trot and the ICC No.1 ranking in the format.

In the new set-up of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Sarfraz knew at the back of his mind that there would be no easy time forthcoming and the Sri Lanka T20 debacle was the last straw. The PCB regime wanted their incumbent team leader to abdicate the crown amicably and go out with his dignity intact. Upon refusal to comply the request - which was a justifiable move one must admit, given the stature attached to the post - Sarfraz further complicated his already vulnerable position. Even though, he had refused to lead Sindh in the ongoing National T20 Cup in Faisalabad.

The formula is simple whatever we all do in life as professionals: either one has to perform in order to remain in the job or get the sacking, as Sarfraz has done now after Wasim Khan, the PCB chief executive, showed up in Faisalabad the other day specifically to indulge in a one-to-one chat. This was an example of complete ignorance on Sarfraz's part because he wasn't prepared to understand the complexities of his weakened stance in the wake of the T20 losses against Sri Lanka.

Fearing the possible ramifications of what Pakistan will find Down Under against Australia, who are always very hard competitors in their own backyard, in a couple of weeks from now, the PCB has, in fact, done Sarfraz a big favour because more of the same results would have been killer-blow for his career.

Sarfraz would also be the first to realise - something he must be made to understand by everyone who is very close to the man - for his own sake a break at this phase of his international career would definitely do him a world of good. Except for a very brief period in the summer...