Misbah ponders Test retirement after Melbourne drubbing

Pakistan Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq has hinted of calling curtains to his illustrious international career in the coming days after his side's crushing defeat by an innings and 18 runs in the second Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday.

Misbah, who has been one of the most successful captains in the country's Test history, has received a flurry of criticism for his tactics after the side slumped to their fifth consecutive match in Australia.

Following the defeat, Misbah insisted that he would make a decision regarding his retirement even as soon as before the third and final Test of Pakistan's series against Australia.

"I think I need to think about it. I always believed that if I couldn't contribute to the team then it's no point staying there. I haven't decided [about Sydney] but let's see," the Express Tribune quoted Misbah as saying.

The 42-year-old has been in terrible form in the ongoing series, having managed just 20 runs in four innings.

Reflecting on his side's performance, the middle-order batsman said that he could not offer any explanation for his side dramatic second innings' collapse which eventually led to their three-match series defeat with a game to spare.

"After scoring 443, you should not be in that position to lose a Test match on the last day and I think we should take the blame as a batting unit because the pitch was very good," he said.

Pakistan, who lost the opening Test by 39 runs, will play the dead-rubber third and the final match against Pakistan from January 3 at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).