Waqar Younis Critiques Babar Azam's Leadership Amidst Test Series Defeat
Babar Azam's Leadership Under Fire
Waqar Younis, the former pace bowling star of Pakistan, has openly shared his views on Babar Azam's ongoing challenges as a captain following the team's recent 0-3 Test series loss to England earlier this September.
The scrutiny surrounding Babar's captaincy intensified after Pakistan's dismal performance, where they only managed to surpass the 200-run mark once in six innings. The tour was further complicated by internal team issues, including significant changes in player selection, with seven players being sent back by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Babar's Performance in the Series
In the recent Test series, Babar Azam's performance was underwhelming, accumulating just 97 runs, with a single fifty, and averaging 24.25 across four innings. He missed the first Test at Headingley due to a hand injury sustained during a warm-up match, leading to Salman Ali Agha stepping in as the acting captain.
Waqar's Insights on Babar's Captaincy
Waqar Younis, who has previously held coaching roles with the Pakistan team, expressed his concerns regarding Babar's ability to lead effectively. He noted that while Babar is technically proficient and an elegant batsman, the pressure of captaincy seems to hinder his performance.
During a charity event in Manchester, Waqar remarked, "I have seen him as a player. Technically, a very sound player. Very complete and elegant player. As a player, I don't personally see anything wrong with him."
However, he added, "I think with the captaincy pressure, he takes a little too much on himself. Whenever he takes this responsibility or is given a responsibility, I don't think he performs that well."
Concerns Over Babar's Future
Waqar emphasized that the team risks losing a significant talent if Babar continues to be burdened with leadership roles that he struggles to manage. He stated, "So I think we are losing a player if we are going to give him this responsibility because he struggles to handle that."
He further elaborated, "You have to be strong as a person, and you have to be really out there and back your players. If you cannot back your players, it's unfair to the players and the job."
Babar's Recent Domestic Return
Since his last Test century, Babar Azam has scored 1126 runs, including eight fifties, with an average of 30.43 over 20 matches. Recently, he has returned to domestic red-ball cricket after nearly seven years, joining the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) as a guest player in the ongoing President’s Trophy Grade-I.