Former Pakistan cricketer Azhar Ali recently backed recently reinstated white-ball captain Babar Azam. He also shared his insights on Azam’s performance and captaincy, particularly focusing on the developments surrounding his reinstatement.
In a candid interview with a local sports outlet, Azhar lauded Babar Azam’s remarkable batting performances, highlighting the consistency and excellence Babar has displayed throughout his tenure as captain.
Emphasizing Babar’s prowess with the bat, Azhar acknowledged Babar’s unwavering contribution to the team’s success across various formats.
“Babar’s performance as a batsman has been good. He has consistently performed throughout his captaincy,” said Ali.
“If he couldn’t perform well in the World Cup, it is okay. There have been some captains who have had similar experiences with poor performances in World Cups.
While acknowledging Babar’s batting prowess, Azhar Ali expressed his perspective on the recent captaincy changes within the Pakistan cricket team.
He voiced his opinion that Babar’s leadership skills have not been a major concern, suggesting that the captaincy episode was less than ideal.
Azhar noted that both the decision to remove Babar from captaincy and his subsequent reappointment posed challenges to the team’s stability and dynamics.
“I don’t think Babar has any issues with his captaincy. But the whole captaincy episode wasn’t ideal. Neither removing him was ideal, nor was reappointing him ideal.
“Now I hope the team supports him better and that there are no hard feelings from anyone.”
Reflecting on the turbulent period following Babar’s relinquishment of captaincy across all formats, Azhar highlighted the challenges faced by the team during the transition phase.
He underscored the scrutiny faced by Shaheen Shah Afridi, who assumed the role of T20I captain, and Shan Masood, who took over leadership in red-ball cricket.
Azhar noted that the team’s performance during this period came under scrutiny, leading to Babar’s eventual reinstatement as white-ball captain.
Azhar Ali expressed hope for better support and cohesion within the team moving forward. He emphasized the importance of unity and collective effort in supporting Babar Azam as the captain, ensuring a conducive environment for success on the field.
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