Sydney - Pakistan great Younis Khan says he wants to carry
on playing Test cricket for his country as he nears the summit of 10 000 Test
runs.
Younis, at 39, in the autumn of a trail-blazing 17-year
playing career, reached another milestone with his first century in Australia
in the current third Sydney match, making a Test hundred in 11 countries.
But Younis, who is just 36 runs away from becoming the first
Pakistani batsman to score 10 000 Test runs, said he wants to bat on for
Pakistan if "they want me."
"It all depends on my team and what they want. That's
the main thing for me," Younis told reporters after scoring an unbeaten
175 for his 34th Test century at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
"It's not about that I'm near 10,000 runs which will be
a big achievement as a Pakistani.
"If you see that list there is no Pakistani who has
achieved 10,000 runs so it all depends on my team and depend on PCB (Pakistan
Cricket Board) and how they want me.
Younis refused to be called Pakistan's greatest batsman,
despite the weight of statistical evidence of his run scoring.
"I can't feel that I'll be the greatest Pakistani
(player)," he said.
"On that list you see Javed Miandad is there, Zaheer
Abbas is there. There are a lot of great players there. Inzamam (ul-Haq) is
also there.
"I don't feel I will be the greatest batsman ever for
Pakistan.
"But I want people and my critics and followers to know
that whenever I play, I play for my country and play for my team. That is more
important for me."
Younis said he was a "happy man" that he was able
to break through for his first century in Australia with his 334-ball batting
epic with 17 fours and three sixes.
"At least I have made a hundred in Australia because
the previous time I was out for 87 in the 2004 Boxing Day Test (Melbourne).
Younis began the Australia series sluggishly with just a
half-century in his first four innings before he carried Pakistan's first
innings in Sydney.
He said he had not done anything special to fight his way
back into form.
"If anyone criticises me, I take that very positively
and I respond through my performances," he said.
"At the same time I feel under a little bit of pressure
as well but I make myself calm and cool and this has worked for me.
Younis will be a key batsman as Pakistan attempt to salvage the final Test, trailing by 409 runs with nine second innings remaining on Saturday's final day.