'Babar Azam should look at Virat Kohli', former Pakistan captain's suggestion to struggling batter

Babar Azam should learn from Virat Kohli, says former Pak captain. (Image: X)

Babar Azam is currently experiencing one of the most challenging phases of his cricketing career, struggling both with the bat and in his role as captain. In Pakistan's recent Test series against Bangladesh, the prolific right-hander failed to score a half-century across four innings, contributing to a surprising 2-0 series defeat. Earlier this June, in the T20 World Cup 2024, Pakistan, under Babar’s leadership, was eliminated in the group stages after an unexpected defeat to the USA and a disappointing loss to arch-rivals India.

This poor run of form has led to widespread criticism from fans and former players, with many questioning Babar Azam’s position as captain. Former Pakistan captain and legendary middle-order batter Younis Khan, who famously led Pakistan to their T20 World Cup victory in 2009, has now commented on Babar’s current slump.

According to Younis, Babar was appointed captain in 2019 because he was the best batter in the team at that time, and he now needs to refocus on his game. Younis believes that Babar should concentrate solely on his cricket, avoiding distractions and external pressures to regain his form.

“The only suggestion I have for Babar is that he should focus on his cricket. He should improve his performance. Babar Azam was made captain because he was the best player at the time. I was present when the decision was made that the team’s best player should be the captain,” Younis said during an event in Pakistan.

“If Babar and other top players perform well on the field, then the results will be evident to everyone. I have noticed that our players often talk more than they perform,” he added.

Younis further advised Babar to take inspiration from Virat Kohli, highlighting how the Indian star regained his form by stepping away from captaincy.

“He has achieved a lot at such a young age, but he needs to be clear about what he wants to achieve in the future. Captaincy is secondary; performance is what truly matters. Look at Virat Kohli. He chose to step down from captaincy on his own terms, and now he’s breaking records worldwide. This shows that playing for the country should be the priority. If there’s any energy left, then play for yourself,” he added.

Babar is currently participating in the Champions Cup, a domestic one-day tournament in Pakistan, which serves as preparation for next year’s Champions Trophy.