Karachi, May 1: Controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said there was a need to change the culture of the Pakistan team's dressing room with a captain who is honest and supportive of his players.

"My experience is that in the past instead of using me as a match-winner some of the captains used to play matches with me," Shoaib said in an apparent reference to Inzamam-ul Haq with whom he never had a smooth relationship.

"When you have a captain who has an ego problem or is jealous of performances of other players then you have a major problem in the team. I think there is a need to change our dressing room culture," he told Geo TV.

Shoaib said there was a need to have an honest captain. "I may have disagreements with Imran Khan on some issues. But I have no doubt he was our best leader because he was honest and expected the same from players. He also didn’t have any jealousy factor," he said.

"I think we need to change our method of training and practice. We need to learn to play on grass and stop making excuses. Because we are professionals and take money for playing," he said. Shoaib said it was time for things to move on in Pakistan cricket and a change in culture because except for a good home series against England the team had not won anything significant and it also played badly in the World Cup.

Gag Order on Players

Pakistan cricketers attending the national training camp have been restricted from speaking to the media by manager-cum-coach Talat Ali after captain Shoaib Malik was misquoted in a recent report.

"Only the captain, chief selector and myself can speak to the media that is also if it is absolutely neccessary. When the matches start obviously the top performer will attend the media conference," Talat said.

Meanwhile, pacer Mohammad Asif, returning from an elbow injury that forced him out of the World Cup, is going all out to be included in the team for the series against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi. Asif bowled long spells at the ongoing conditioning camp in Lahore.