The duo transformed a talented but ill-disciplined group of individuals into a fighting unit which finally found some consistency.

Inzamam did come in for criticism from his mentor Imran, however, during the troubled tour of Australia, where they were trounced in all three Tests.

Inzy was wounded but that was forgotten when his men fought out a creditable draw in the return series in India, with the highlight Inzamam's imperious 184 in his 100th Test, a victory in Bangalore.

His star was very much in the ascendancy after a brilliant series of performances in the one-day series, which Pakistan won 4-2.