Former Pakistan skipper Shoaib Malik advised Babar Azam to leave his captaincy to focus on his own game and feels that he can break numerous records in the world of cricket if quit the captaincy of Men in Green. The 28-year-old has been leading the Pakistan team since he took over the captaincy from Sarfraz Ahmed.
Babar Azam has been facing criticism regarding his captaincy after he failed to win a single Test on home soil against England and New Zealand. Many former cricketers want Babar Azam to give up his leadership role in at least one format and want Shadab Khan to take over the T20 captaincy.
“If I was in Babar’s place, or those people who guide him, they should tell him that Babar should quit captaincy. And focus just as a player. Pakistan team will also benefit from this,” Shoaib Malik said.
Shoaib Malik believes Babar Azam has a lot to learn as a leader and feels it will take a lot of time and wanted his well-wishers to guide him to quit captaincy and concentrate on his own game rather than captaining the country, which in turn can do good things for Men in Green.
“I feel for him to improve as a leader, it will take a lot of time. But we are in such a culture, where we want overnight results. Whoever is guiding him, please guide him to quit captaincy. He will break all sorts of records and the pressure will be only on his cricket,” Malik said.
The right-hander had a prolific 2022 across formats, bagging the ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year Award and also being named the captain of the ODI team. He also won the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year award. Babar has a total of 29 hundred in all formats of cricket in International cricket, with over 59.42 average in 50 overs format in 93 innings.
We Are Mixing His Batting Performance And Leadership – Shoaib Malik
Shoaib Malik believes that it is unfair to mix individual excellence with captaincy and said that he should not be judged based on the team’s losses. The 28-year has been a fine performer for men in green in all three formats and is regarded as one of the greatest batters from Pakistan to play in World Cricket.
“I will say one thing. We are mixing his batting performance and leadership. We shouldn’t do that. Both are separate. But when we judge him when a team loses, and his performances are also dragged. We shouldn’t do that. It’s a team game. In the past, one player could win the match but the game has changed now. It needs teamwork,” Shoaib Malik added.
Babar Azam is currently playing the T20 series against the Kiwis, the Pakistan team is currently leading the five-match series 2-1 on home soil, The Men in Green will take on the Kiwis in the final match of the T20 series on April 24 (Monday).