Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi claims that the ball tampering issue has been blown out of proportions by certain elements in the Pakistan cricket fraternity who want him stripped of captaincy. 

Speaking excusively to DawnNews, Afridi stated that he simply cannot accept embarassing defeats, and indulged in ball tampering during the final ODI at Perth against Australia out of sheer frustration.

Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain, who is serving a two match ban after the incident, reiterated that he had apologised to his family and entire country over the issue.

He added that he does not want captaincy in all forms of the game, as he is mentally and physically not fit to bear the rigours of the test format. 

“Our test team should include players who have the temperament of playing the longest format of the game.”

Afridi’s comments regarding the ever controversial issue of ball-tampering comes after former England captain Tony Greig and former Australian captain Ian Chappell threw their weight behind the legalisation of some sort of work on the ball to attain swing.

“Some may choose to deny it but most bowlers have technically indulged in ball-tampering,” Greig told Cricinfo's Time Out show. “Ball-tampering is one of cricket's most open secrets and it has been for at least 50 years.”

“Most of the better cricket administrators have been former players and they know that its been happening,” he added.

Chappell while condemning Afridi’s ‘chomp’ was also in favour of doing “everything possible should be done to encourage swing.”

“You've got to keep swing bowling in the game. Because swing bowling and leg spin bowling are the two aspects of the game that you must do everything to encourage, they are both attacking forms of bowling,” he said.