There is a great deal of unrest within the Pakistan cricket team regarding the possible return of spot-fixer Mohammad Amir, says Robert Craddock.
The 23-year-old was only a teenager when he deliberately bowled a no-ball under instructions from then captain Salman Butt and has served his ban.
Five years ago a newspaper set up a sting and found out when Amir was set to bowl a very obvious no-ball that put him in jail for three months and banned from cricket for half a decade.
He is a talented fast bowler and in his last Test innings he took seven wickets on a flat deck at Lord’s, including the scalp of Kevin Pietersen, and is still bowling very fast in the nets.
“Everyone thought he would come straight back in but a couple of senior players have said that they don’t want to play with this guy,” said Craddock on SEN radio.
“They’ve asked not to be put in the training camp because they don’t want to be there while he is there.”
Amir has had an emotional confrontation with senior players of the squad ahead of their one-day tour of New Zealand.
Former star players Michael Atherton and Imran Khan have been supporters of his return to cricket but others are wary that Pakistan cannot afford to be so generous to a cheat.
“This is actually an impressive matter of principle we’re seeing from Pakistan, they are turning the corner,” added Craddock.
“They’ve beaten South Africa, they flogged Australia and beaten England – this is a team really on the rise and they’re just worried that every time they have an off day they’ll be eternally stigmatised.”
The team has made tremendous progress in recent times considering they still do not play any matches at home and the seemingly endless line of controversial issues.
“They’ve been dogged by more than the occasional scandal, like Yasir Shah their spinner has just had a positive drug test of all things,” said Craddock.
“So, he could disappear for two years but they have been really well led by their coach Waqar Younis.”
Chris Gayle out of line with interview
The much talked about interview with Chris Gayle and Channel 10 journalist Mel McLaughlin was not a good moment for the West Indian batsman, according to Craddock.
“I just didn’t like it at all,” he said of his comments.
“He’s loose Chris Gayle, he really is, and he habits this world of low responsibility in Twenty20 where you float around the world and go to parties.
“He’s a bit of a celebrity, writes a few cheeky columns and no one takes much notice.
“That was him tyring to be the comedian and it was cringe worthy stuff – it was poor form.”