Inzamam proving to be irreplaceable

Inzamam retired hurt after a breezy, untroubled 35. But the thorny question remains: who can replace him when he retires? © Getty Images

Pakistan's batting has become a creature of habit. The problem is of course that the habit isn't particularly pleasant. The faces change but essentially - as they have done through this series, through the last two years and possibly will do though the next year, and again today - they make a poor or middling start and let Inzamam-ul-Haq perform the resuscitation.

So often has he come to the rescue of his team, especially in the last two years as captain, that his contributions and importance have become inevitable, almost to be taken for granted. Almost everything, with very few exceptions, has rested with him. His worth has been examined enough now, but what of the future when he leaves? What happens after the inevitable is no longer there: when Inzamam retires?

Pakistan's batting today was a microcosm of this dilemma. Until he had to leave the field this afternoon, Inzamam brought serenity to the batting. The start, which at 12 for 2 should have been calamitous, wasn't a worry only because he was still to come. When he left, it had become a sedate 148 for 3. Had he stayed it would have been ominous for England. Yet his untimely departure saw not only a further loss of a wicket, a decrease in run scoring, as well as leaving Pakistan balanced delicately at 185 for 4, it brought home the question of who will fill his considerable boots.

Boots aside, it is his ability to eke out runs from at least one other batsman - be it Imran Farhat, Salman Butt, Mohammad Yousuf or Younis Khan. It is this identity - that of a successor - that is still uncertain and thus, the cause of concern. Often, as it was here, it has been Mohammad Yousuf and in his 62nd Test, he should be the heir apparent.

His unbeaten 84 was invaluable in maintaining a slight advantage for Pakistan but it also encompassed enough moments that instill some hesitancy in anointing him as the chosen one. Sandwiched between the allure of 14 patently delicious boundaries were snippets of indiscretion that suggest the authority that imbues Inzamam doesn't come naturally to him. An airy drive on 16 was lucky not to settle in Andrew Flintoff's bucket-sized hands, a couple of inside edges were fortunate not to crash into stumps and a host of walking wafts were privileged not to present an edge onto ball.

But crucially, as if the symbolism of Inzamam's departure sunk into him, he settled after his captain left. A couple of edges and missed drives still appeared, but mostly, he kept himself in check, aware perhaps of what it meant. As in the first innings at Faisalabad, Yousuf buckled down, scoring only 14 runs in the last hour. He later acknowledged the development: "Inzamam was injured and so I became the senior player and there was extra responsibility on me. He's the best player in the team without a doubt but I just willed myself to concentrate even harder after he left the field."

In the last year, Younis Khan has also put forth his candidature for the post. A stellar year and increased responsibility as vice-captain form compelling evidence. But, as witnessed in this series, that knack of finding inopportune ways and periods to get out, has perhaps not fully left him. Beyond these two, nominations are even thinner.

Hasan Raza's dismissal towards the end of the day was not only untimely, but it had to it an air of finality. In any case, seven Tests behind him, he is still untried at this level. Asim Kamal, unaccustomed at one down, also failed but at least there is enough in 11 previous Tests to suggest he warrants a place somewhere in the order. Shoaib Malik may not be able to open but he may eventually find a place in the middle order. But beyond even these?

Despite a broadly mediocre tradition of batsmanship, Pakistan has been able to unearth at least one batsman at most of its transitions. As Saad Shafqat's recent tribute to Inzamam highlighted, Pakistan has somehow managed to roughly coincide the departure of one batting anchor with the arrival of another. Hanif's career ended with Zaheer's arrival and Zaheer's fade unearthed the ingenuity of Miandad. Inzamam's blooming allowed for the loss of Miandad and to a lesser extent, Salim Malik's departure. As he draws closer to his end, who now will succeed Inzamam?