What crisis?

The end wasn't as spectacularly chaotic as the reign had been. Aamer Sohail's tenure as chief selector opened in blazing fashion, like his batting, and ended as his cameos so often did - with a whimper. Since Shaharyar Khan became chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, it was only a matter of when, rather than if, Sohail would be shown the door. When Rameez Raja admitted that the senior panel would also be revamped, in addition to the selection committee for the junior Pakistan sides, the execution was sealed.

On paper at least, there was more to Sohail's record than met the eye. He had played General Tauqir Zia's hatchet man to perfection, ruthlessly and incisively dismembering an ageing and jaded team core. A young team performed considerably better than many had dared hope after the World Cup, and their Test wins over South Africa and New Zealand signalled that progress was clearly being made. Players such as Yasir Hameed and Umar Gul had been unearthed, and justified Sohail's often-bold decisions.

But there was also a burgeoning eccentricity in Sohail's workings. This trait manifested itself most vividly in his selections and many accused him of cheapening the worth of a Pakistani cap. Junaid Zia's selection, in particular, seemed - Zia was uncomfortable with the decision - a sycophantic ode from slave to paymaster. But there was more.

His attitude with the players earned him few friends. "It wasn't really a surprise. Many players in the team didn't like him. His relationship with Inzamam in particular had really deteriorated," revealed a PCB official. His jarring and biased TV commentary also made the public dislike him. And then, there was his role in relation to the outspoken troika that headed the national team.

Putting Rashid Latif, Javed Miandad and Sohail together was akin to putting Guy Fawkes in a room with some fireworks and a lighter. When Latif resigned as captain, he highlighted Sohail's overbearing, uncompromising and uncooperative attitude. When Inzamam, Miandad and Sohail engaged in the most public of slanging matches in October, by which time Sohail had been ensconced as public enemy No.1, something had to give. A few months on, and with Zia, his most ardent supporter, having gone, it did.

Now, like a breath of stale air, Wasim Bari finds himself in a familiar seat. Having been chief selector twice before, including this time last year, when he was busy picking a team for the World Cup, Bari comes in with a series against India looming. His mandate is as straightforward as Sohail's, yet diametrically opposite; he is here to steady the ship. "He has come in mainly because he has a non-controversial, safe reputation. He is not going to scream and shout and rock the boat," revealed a PCB official." With Bari come other "temperamentally consistent" selectors - as one newspaper put it - in the form of Iqbal Qasim, Ehtashamuddin and Sultan Rana.

His immediate task is clear. "My objective right now is obviously to pick the team for the India series. We will consider everybody who played domestic cricket this season for the series." In what seemed a direct dig at Sohail's remarks a couple of months ago, when he claimed that the process of rebuilding is never-ending, Bari asserted, "the process of rebuilding is now complete. The team has improved considerably, but this young team must settle now."

Bari's first tenure in 1999 saw the team reach the World Cup final, and his second oversaw the 2003 World Cup fiasco, after which he was forced to step down. "I was disappointed with what happened at the last World Cup. We had to pick a team of experienced players for such a big tournament, and everyone was happy with the team that was selected. They had potential to do much better, and that they failed was not only disappointing, but I think, it indicated that the time was right for wholesale changes."

Unlike his predecessor, Bari does have the advantage of possessing good relationships with both coach and captain, and his communication and man-management skills, gleaned from years of service in a commercial organisation, will hold him in good stead. "It is crucial that communication is good. It is one of the key areas in any sphere of work and if lacking, it always leads to problems." The remaining members of the committee, handpicked by Bari, also enjoy a close working relationship, with Iqbal Qasim being one of the more astute minds in the local game.

Despite the settled nature of the current team, picking the squad for India promises to be a headache. A source at the PCB revealed that Waqar Younis might be in the running for a recall. "Given his experience and the fact that he is still fit, Inzamam, in particular, wants him back in the team for this tour." With the expected return of Saqlain as well, tough selectorial decisions await.

Last March, Zia, Latif, Miandad and Sohail bravely heralded the much-hyped renovation of Pakistan cricket. Nine months on, and with less fanfare, a quieter, more gradual revolution has taken place. Three of the four musketeers are gone, and their places have been taken by familiar faces. In most countries, this would constitute a crisis. In Pakistan, it appears, it is called preparation.