Five Captains Who Had To Quit Their Role Following Shameful Circumstances

One of the many things that makes cricket such a unique game as compared to other sports is the role of the captain. Unlike Soccer or other sports, a captain is well-and-truly the leader of the team. He is the one who calls the shots. He is the one who takes all the difficult decisions and by virtue of his game and his character leads the side by example.

But what if the captain of a side is involved in misdemeanors? Time and again, we have seen celebrated captains relinquish their job amidst shameful circumstances.

Here’s a look at Five Captains Who Had To Quit Their Role Following Shameful Circumstances

5. Salman Butt

The world of cricket was shocked to its core once again in the summer of 2010 when three Pakistani players-one of them being the captain of the side- were caught in a spot-fixing scandal.

It all came to a head during the 2010 Lord’s Test between Pakistan and England when eyebrows were raised after Mohammad Amir overstepped the popping crease by a mile. But what happened next, no one could have imagined in their wildest dreams.

But the following day, undercover agents of an English news portal ‘News of the World’ released a video-tape where bookie Mazher Majeed accepting money and informing the reporters that Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir would bowl no-balls at a specific period in the Test match.

Majeed was arrested by the Scotland Yard, while Salman Butt, the talented left-handed opener and the then captain of the Pakistan Test team and two of the countries most talented fast bowlers in Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir were banned by the ICC for terms between 5 and 10 years.

In November 2011, Butt and Asif were found guilty by a London court, following which they were given prison sentences for 30 months.

However, the duo was released from jail. In 2015, the ICC lifted the bans on the trio but barring Amir, neither of Salman Butt or Mohammad Asif played for Pakistan again.

4. Shakib Al Hasan

Shakib Al Hasan was at the peak of his powers during the 2019 World Cup. The left-handed Bangladeshi all-rounder was one of the three players to score more than 600 runs in the quadrennial event.

But it all came crashing down in October last year when it was revealed that Shakib- the then Bangladesh captain had been handed a two-year (one year suspended) ban by the ICC for his failure to report the match-fixing approach by the bookmakers during 2018 tri-nation series involving Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe and also during the 2018 IPL fixture between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kings XI Punjab, as per Article 2.4.4 of the ICC Code Of Conduct.

3. Wasim Akram

One of the greatest fast bowlers to have ever played the game, Wasim Akram had his fair share of controversies off the field. Wasim held the post of Pakistani team on a plethora of occasions between 1994-99 and each stint of his marred with match-fixing allegations by his fellow teammates including Ata Ur Rahman and Aamir Sohail.

Ata Ur Rahman had alleged in a written affidavit that Akram had offered him Rs 20,000 to bowl badly during a 1994 One-day match in New Zealand to Justice Qayyum-led committee, while Aamir Sohail had hurled allegations that he was asked to underperform during a 1997 ODI tournament in Sharjah.

Akram was alleged for deliberately opting-out from the 1996 World Cup quarter-final against India and also for frequently promoting himself ahead of the inform players during his captaincy days by his fellow cricketers.

Fixing allegations again reared its ugly head against Akram after Pakistan’s humiliating defeat in the 1999 World Cup final. However, with Rahman changing his statement and lack of evidence against the great fast bowler, Akram was given a benefit of doubt by the Qayyum-led committee.

“Commission gave him the “benefit of the “doubt” with regards to the Sharjah tournament in 1997, but ruled he was “not above board.” Wasim Akram was censured and fined £3,700. Further probe into his assets was recommended,” Justice Qayyum wrote in his report.

Akram was banned from the leadership role for the rest of his career.

Also Read: Would Have Destroyed Or Killed Wasim Akram Had He Approached Me For Match-Fixing, Says Shoaib Akhtar

2. Steven Smith

Ahh! The Newlands ball-tampering scandal! Steven Smith was at the top of his game at the start of 2018. He had just played a pivotal role in Australia regaining the Ashes on home soil. And, it felt like he could do no wrong.

It all came crashing down for the then Australian captain during the 3rd Test of the succeeding tour of South Africa after opener Cameron Bancroft was caught pulling out yellow sandpaper from his pocket by the host broadcaster.

After the end of days play, Steven Smith was asked about the same in the press-conference and the Aussie captain admitted that he, vice-captain David Warner and rookie opener Cameron Bancroft had hatched a plan to apply sandpaper on the ball- basically ball-tampering- for reverse-swing.

Little did Smith release that he had just unearthed a storm that would rock Australian cricket to its core. And, it did. Amidst a whirlwind backlash that also saw Australian Prime Minister get involved, Smith, Warner, and Bancroft were handed one year and nine-month suspension by Cricket Australia.

Smith was also banned for two years from the leadership role while Warner was banned for life. Darren Lehmann, the then head coach also relinquished his job paving way for Justin Langer.

Langer and Paine have since then done a great job in reviving the image of Australian cricket and with Smith’s captaincy ban coming to an end, it remains to be seen whether he’ll once again lead Australia in the future or not.

Also Read: Steve Smith Reveals “Winning A Test Series In India” As His Major Ambition

1. Hansie Cronje

And, the biggest of them all! A scandal that only tarnished world cricket’s image to the core but also took down one of the greatest leaders that this beautiful game has ever seen- Hansie Cronje.

It all came to a head during the 2000 South African tour of India when Delhi Police intercepted the conversation between Hansie Cronje and a bookmaker. Delhi Police after verifying the facts made its findings public, which Cronje and the United Cricket Board of South Africa shrugged off with disdain.

But, Hansie Cronje could not hide the truth for long and on the 11th of April 2000, the former captain, in a 3 AM call to Ali Bacher admitted that ‘he has not been completely honest”.

All hell broke loose post Hansie’s confession. The South African cricket board soon set-up a Kings’ Commission where Cronje, amidst public humiliation, admitted his love for a leather jacket and hard cash.

Cronje was banned for life, which was eventually cut short when he dies in a tragic air crash in June 2002.

Also Read: The Beginning Of The End For Hansie Cronje