Jaipur: A former captain and a one-time chief executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Rameez Raja is probably more qualified than the others to speak about cricket in Pakistan. Rameez, who is in the city on a Champions Trophy-related Media assignment, spoke to The Telegraph for over half-an-hour Monday afternoon.

The following are excerpts:

Q Generally, why is everything associated with Pakistan cricket so turbulent?

A (Smiles) I wouldn’t say turbulent... Except for the recent Younis Khan episode and this doping controversy, things have been pretty stable for the last three years at least... Even this Younis business was really between him and the last PCB chairman, Shaharyar Khan... Because the circumstances were extraordinary, I’m not counting what happened at The Oval... But, yes, there have been incidents in the past...

Why?

For a number of reasons, ad-hocism probably being one... Player power, for example, reared its ugly head because of the ad-hocism within the PCB... Generally, players have been more important than the administrators and this took root during Imran Khan’s captaincy.

Were you, too, overawed by the players during the period (little over a year, from mid-2003) that you were chief executive?

No... I think it’s non-cricketers who get overawed by the stature of the present generation... My scene was different as I’d myself been a captain... I didn’t look at anybody’s stature, but dealt with the players — when I had to — as individuals and nothing more. I could, of course, appreciate how they felt on certain issues and their expectations from the parent body. Except the episode involving Shoaib Akhtar, who we felt had feigned injury during the Rawalpindi Test against India (April 2004), I don’t think there were any incidents when I was the chief executive. Bottomline is that administrators must not be taken in by the stature of the players.

Though you came on board during Lt General (retd) Tauqir Zia’s tenure as chairman, you worked a lot more with Shaharyar. How would you rate him?

A perfect gentleman and, having been a diplomat, was always diplomatic... If there’s anything I told Shaharyar in one-on-ones, it was that he should get tougher on certain issues. He wanted to do X and Y, but because he was such a gentle soul, he would prefer to buy time... I don’t think any chairman has the luxury of time. At times, then, Shaharyar was a little weak. Having said that, let’s not forget he gave stability to the PCB and took two big decisions — appointing Bob Woolmer as coach and dropping Shoaib (in early 2005). Also, the captain and vice-captain didn’t keep changing... Then, the Academy got launched...

Our information is that Shaharyar was made to resign...

I haven’t spoken to him, so I can’t comment.

How involved is President Pervez Musharraf, the PCB’s patron-in-chief?

Not a lot... He takes some decisions, because he’s the one who has to.

Do you personally know the new chairman (Dr Nasim Ashraf, a minister in the federal government)?

No... I’ll probably meet him when he comes to Mumbai for the Champions Trophy final. (After a pause) There could be an unsettling period, but he has every right to put his team in place.

Imran is of the opinion that the PCB’s affiliates must elect the chairman, rather than the country’s President making that appointment. What’s your take?

In principle, that’s fine with me... At the same time, you’ve got to have people who’re fit enough to hold the post... You’ve got to have quality...

Why didn’t you call for an end to ad-hocism when you were the chief executive?

Because, in a lot of ways, it still suits Pakistan cricket... At the provincial level, there’s give-and-take and a lot of manipulation... The PCB’s last constitution had spelt out the tenure and other things, but there were people who’d been around for some 30 years... It was getting flouted right, left and centre... Unless the entire system can be cleansed, ad-hocism is okay from a practical point.

Did you, as the chief executive, have moments of frustration?

No... If I had a proposal, I got it pushed through and implemented straight away. We spread cricket, developed infrastructure, got state-of-the-art equipment... We put an umpires’ panel in place... Introduced Twenty20, which is a huge hit commercially... I played a small, but satisfying role. And, all within an ad-hoc system.

Sacking Javed Miandad (as coach) would have been tough...

It was a huge step... Removing a great cricketer... It worked because we were brave and the only agenda was the betterment of Pakistan cricket... Bob has made a difference.

Surely, your relationship with Miandad took a beating...

Well... If your fear the consequences of decision making, then you can’t ever take decisions... The organisation won’t work.

Did you resign because you wanted to pursue a career as a TV commentator or...

(Interrupting) That contributed 80 per cent... To a small extent, the other reason was the grilling by the Senate after we lost to India at home (March-April 2004)... I didn’t like the tone of the Senators... Incidentally, I wasn’t drawing a salary and the PCB’s deal with Ten Sports, to whom I was contracted, had been inked before I became the chief executive.

What went wrong between Shaharyar and Younis?

Difficult to say... However, Younis is the temperamental sort and should realise that if he’s to lead Pakistan, he’s bound to go through periods of frustration... There may be differences on issues, but the captain must at least have a working relationship with the PCB chairman and the chief selector... A captain should be forthright and honest, but he must also be a diplomat. He can want ten things done, but ought to see it as a victory if even eight are implemented by the administration... With time, I suppose Younis is going to learn that there will be occasions when he has to restrain himself.

Given what Younis had to say about being the stand-in captain, won’t there be uncomfortable moments in the dressing room once Inzamam-ul Haq is back?

I don’t expect any problems, for the simple reason that Inzamam enjoys a great deal of respect and Younis doesn’t have an agenda to destabilise him. Inzamam has kept the team together besides, obviously, having been a terrific performer under pressure. In my opinion, Inzamam is Pakistan’s greatest batsman.

Ahead of Miandad?

Yes, higher than him.

Finally, your views on the doping scandal?

It’s embarrassing, but the good thing is that this doping bit got found out before Pakistan started its campaign in the Champions Trophy... The embarrassment would have been far greater had both been caught by the International Cricket Council... Of course, while we’re talking, my information is that the drug (Nandrolone) was taken to enhance recovery from injuries and not enhance performance.. Till this episode, Mohammed Asif had been our brightest hope.