"If the coach likes you, then the captain won’t"- Abdur Rehman accuses Pakistan think-tank of favoritism

Former left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman has suggested there are two different camps in the Pakistan cricket team - one for the coach and another for the captain. Rehman added that when a player is on good terms with the captain, then the coach gets angry and vice versa.

Abdur Rehman was disappointed that personal preference often takes precedence in terms of players' selection in the national team and the coach and captain often indulge in favoritism.

"Being a yes-man for the captain has benefits and drawbacks. When you are on good terms with the captain then the coach gets angry. A lot depends on the likes or dislikes of those involved. If the coach likes you then the captain won’t. Then one tries to take the player out because either he doesn’t like him or the player in question doesn’t spend time with him," Rehman said in an interaction with Cricket Pakistan.

The 41-year-old further went on to state that individuals do everything in their means to get certain personnel out of the national team if they don't like them.

"They start hating the player. They don’t see how important a player is for Pakistan. They don’t look at performances or anything else then. All his previous performances or his career is forgotten and attempts are made to get the player out of the side. Whoever it is, until the player is out of the side, the person who doesn’t like him won’t be at peace. This is not good for Pakistan or the players. This is Pakistan’s team and not a team of the coach or captain," the former spinner added.

He's a spinner who took 99 Test wickets for Pakistan with a best of 6/25 against England in Abu Dhabi in 2012, Happy Birthday Abdur Rehman! pic.twitter.com/sSm9eJaOOf

— ICC (@ICC) March 1, 2017

Rehman went on to play 22 Tests, 31 ODIs and 8 T20Is for Pakistan while picking up 130 wickets in his international career.

Pakistan need players like Mohammed Hafeez and Shoaib Malik in the World Cup: Abdur Rehman

Shoaib Malik & Mohammad Hafeez (R)

Abdur Rehman backed the inclusion of veteran campaigners like Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik for the upcoming T20 World Cup. The former spinner believes it is imperative for a team to have a few senior heads on the roster in a mega-event like the World Cup.

"The World Cup is a massive event. If you fill a team with youngsters, you can have some problems. They need some seniors who can advise players during crunch situations. Shoaib Malik is available and plays the PSL along with other leagues and performs well. Hafeez is also available. You need two or three players like these who can lead the captain in the middle since these players have captained Pakistan and in World Cups as well," Rehman added.

Pakistan cricket team's next international assignment is a tour of England where they will clash with the hosts in 3 ODIs and as many T20Is in July. The PCB, meanwhile, is looking to conduct the remainder of the PSL from June.