Afridi will be tested as a leader: Rameez Raja

Shahid Afridi may have realised a long-cherished dream to captain Pakistan in all formats of cricket but he would have a tough time dealing with the pressure that the job brings with it, feels former skipper Rameez Raja.

Raja, who also served as chief executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board, said Afridi needs to be given complete backing.

"I back the PCB decision to appoint him captain for all three formats of the sport despite Afridi's reluctance to play Test cricket," Raja said.

"Afridi being captain for all three forms of the game will bring consistency and stability to the captaincy," he added.

Raja feels the Asia Cup and the Test tour to England would be defining events for Afridi, whose captaincy and performance as a player will come under intense scrutiny in the coming months.

"He must first concentrate on performing well himself if he does well as an all-rounder lot of things will take care of themselves and he wouldn't have to worry about the captaincy that much," he said.

Raja said all the teams would be targetting Afridi.

"There is no doubt his job is cut out. He is coming back into Test cricket after a lapse; he will be up against two formidable sides in Australia and England. And we know that all good teams go after the captain. So he will be tested as a leader and as a batsman," the former captain said.