[VIDEO] Saj: "Should Babar Azam step down as the captain of the Pakistan ODI side?"

[MenInG]

Saj's views on Babar Azam as captain debate:

Nice guys don't always make the best captains for Pakistan.

Captaincy pressure affected Babar Azam's batting at the World Cup.

Babar Azam doesn't appear to be enjoying his batting or captaincy at the moment.

Was finishing 5th in the table acceptable for a cricket nation like Pakistan?

 

[Maliq_Mudasir]

Babar is a top talent in Pakistan, yet he lacks the education to be outspoken and influential. Leading the Pakistani team is one of the most challenging roles, demanding immense patience, temperament, and skills to navigate political and media pressures. Unfortunately, he struggles in managing these aspects and would be better off relinquishing the captaincy, allowing him to concentrate on his batting prowess.

 

[BouncerGuy]

He should definitely be giving up his captaincy. He is too soft to take criticism for his captaincy. He should resign as a captain and focus more on his batting because he is going nowhere with his batting atm.

 

[MenInG]

If Babar respects Virat Kohli so much, why not take a leaf from his book and step down himself, comeback stronger as a batter.

 

[Thanos]

Pakistan cricket has two problems-
1. Captaincy
2. Mediocre players available for selection.

True that a better captain would've taken different decisions and may have won few more matches. But the overall results (including WC) would've been similar to what Babar's team has delivered.

PCB neither has player to replace Babar as captain nor players to replace in the team.

 

[Farah Sohail]

Babar should setp down for sure..as captain from all formats..but I am 100% sure.. he will never ever step down…and as per some credible reporters, former cricketers who met Zaka Ashraf today has advised him, that since ODIs are an yr away, so need to touch ODI captaincy and focus on tests and T 20s for now.
I have a strongfeeling tht Babar Azam still retain captaincy, and he will never step down from captaincy himself.. seems like we are stuck with babar for atleast 10 more yrs..there seems to be no way out.. PCB doesnt have the guts him to remove him

 

[FearlessRoar]

If Babar's goal is to break the records of Virat Kohli, then it's better for him to leave captaincy and focus on his game. Probably, he has another 5-6 years ahead to play as a specialist batter and do wonders for Pakistan. And build the ability to win games single-handedly. Except for that knock against New Zealand in the ICC ODI World Cup 2019, I don't remember when he did it again for Pakistan. Otherwise, he will end up as another Inzi of Pakistan.

 

[mominsaigol]

If Babar respects Virat Kohli so much, why not take a leaf from his book and step down himself, comeback stronger as a batter.

Won't happen theirs a difference of mentality.

Firstly a great player tried to establish their own brand identity. Kohli is kohli, Adam Gilchrist was gilly, Sachin was Sachin, Pointing was pointing. They are their own brands.

Babar is trying to become kohli but he can't. No one can ever be another kohli, the same way no one will ever become another ab de villers.

An atg is someone who makes their own brand, not someone who tries to copy.

Secondly it's also about challenge, Kohli is no 3 because as is aussie, NZ + Indian tradition, Your best player bats at no 3 period. Kohli takes the challenge of no 3 and has adopted it as the best Indian batsmen in the current line up.

Babar opened in t20 because he isn't willing to take the next step. Opening in t20 allows him to take time to settle and make personal milestones.

In order to come back stronger like kohli did he needs to make his own brand and get out of his comfort zone in batting which he has not yet done in the 7 or 8 years he's been here.

Can he become a goat? Yes, but not with the current mentality that he has.

 

[Saj]

2 questions though:

Who should replace him as ODI skipper?

Will a change of skipper in ODIs change the approach and mentality of the team?

 

[Farah Sohail]

2 questions though:

Who should replace him as ODI skipper?

Will a change of skipper in ODIs change the approach and mentality of the team?

Shan Masood should be captain in tests and ODIs.. he plays with intent, will bring a positive mindset to team, also will promote fitness culture in the team

 

[Misia]

Babar should step down as captain from all formats and just concentrate on becoming Pakistans greatest ever batsman, he doesn't have the aggression required to be become a great captain.
I think Pakistan should follow suit with the other teams and go with 3 separate captains, (far less in fighting /grouping)

 

[Maliq_Mudasir]

If Babar respects Virat Kohli so much, why not take a leaf from his book and step down himself, comeback stronger as a batter.

Do you truly believe Virat stepped down from captaincy solely based on his personal decision? The BCCI is a highly professional board where nothing unnecessary is disclosed to media mafia. He was communicated with in a professional manner, indicating their plans to change the captain and their insistence on having the same captain across all formats.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Do you truly believe Virat stepped down from captaincy solely based on his personal decision? The BCCI is a highly professional board where nothing unnecessary is disclosed to media mafia. He was communicated with in a professional manner, indicating their plans to change the captain and their insistence on having the same captain across all formats.

Virat Kohli only left T20I captaincy. The board sacked him as captain from other formats.

 

[hassan918]

Former Pakistan cricket team stars have pointed out that Babar Azam has got a long rope with captaincy and has not delivered. Ex-Pakistan cricket team fast bowler Aaqib Javed has also joined that list. He even went a step further to point out that, like Virat Kohli - who could not win an ICC trophy as Indian cricket team captain - Babar Azam too is a good batter but not a great captain.

"Captains can't be made. Either you are a captain or you are not. Virat Kohli became the captain. He was given the opportunity. After 2019 Word Cup he was told 'Thank you very much. You might be a superstar, but ghar jao'. They changed the captain and brought in Rohit Sharma," Aaqib Javed said on Suno News.

"Why is Rohit Sharma such a good captain? In IPL, he led the team to five titles. But Virat Kohli did not do anything in the IPL or the World Cup. Now, compare it with Babar Azam. He did nto win anything as captain in Pakistan Super League. People say he is a good captain, but where did he show his good captaincy?

"Sachin Tendulkar was a superstar batter but he was not a good captain. Babar is a good batter, but he is not a good captain. Sarfaraz Ahmed won you the Champions Trophy because he was a good captain. He won you the U-19 World Cup. You captain tells you at every stage that he is a captain. At what stage did Babar Azam show he is a good captain?"

 

[VForVendetta]

If Babar's goal is to break the records of Virat Kohli, then it's better for him to leave captaincy and focus on his game.

How is he supposed to do that? Honestly tell me which record of Kohli can he chase realistically? If you are talking about odi then I say no, that's impossible. Not just because Babar is incapable of achieving such, but also the fact is that odi format has become obsolete & irrelevant. Babar will be lucky if he somehow gets to play 200 odi matches before he ends his career. In his prime in last 4 years he got to play only around 40 matches. He won't get to play another single match for next one year. In the meanwhile his decline will slowly begin if not it has already begun.

Probably, he has another 5-6 years ahead to play as a specialist batter and do wonders for Pakistan. And build the ability to win games single-handedly. Except for that knock against New Zealand in the ICC ODI World Cup 2019, I don't remember when he did it again for Pakistan. Otherwise, he will end up as another Inzi of Pakistan.

He should be thankful to almighty if he even achieves half of what Inzy achieved for Pakistan. Realistically the only records he can break are Anwar's odi hundreds & overall his country's highest hundred maker. He is not going closer to Inzy's odi runs due to reasons I mentioned above & not going closer to Younus in tests due to his obvious shortage as a subcontinent batsman.

 

[pakistani pride]

Asking the question is the answer to how Pak cricket has fallen. In the past this would not have even been question after such a pathetic showing. Babar is a timid leader, just check his record (SR) in the last years when it mattered.

 

[Savak]

2 questions though:

Who should replace him as ODI skipper?

Will a change of skipper in ODIs change the approach and mentality of the team?

The two realistic alternatives are either Sarfaraz Ahmed or Shan Masood. Giving it to either of Rizwan, Shaheen, Shadab is going to risk creating 90's style politics and resentment in the squad. We need someone outside the clique of Babar, Rizwan, Shaheen, Shadab e.t.c.

 

[Thephenom]

For his own sake rather then anyone else’s so he can concentrate on his batting

 

[Savak]

Lol at should he stand down. He needs to be fired and kicked out and the fact he was fired and kicked out should be stickied on his forehead

 

[castortroy]

Is this even a serious question.

Of course he needs to be removed as skipper.

His in game management and decisions are awful at this level. A defensive and timid captain who was never really captain material in the first place

 

[Farabi]

Enjoyed the analysis. Babar Azam needs to step down. His body language was down and out. The man management was not that great either.
Saj, any suggestions or solutions on next steps. Who should Pakistan look to from here.

 

[Abdullah]

If the guys who run our cricket had any brains they would leave him be until the WT20- he deserves a shot at that tournament with his first eleven (Fakhar was injured last time and shaheen by the end-hopefully we can get our first eleven on the park).
There are hardly any ODIs until then anyway -and even if there are we should ''rest'' him from those few.

We can then change white ball captain after the world t20 which is around the corner in June, Changing him as ODI captain now or ODI and T20 captain both -will just mess any flow we have for t20s right before the tournament.

Let's see what plays out

 

[Rana]

Babar couldn’t do what was best for the team and bat at number 3 in T20is

No chance of him thinking about his nation and stepping down

 

[MenInG]

He visited GSL and spoke with the Chairman - let's see

 

[mominsaigol]

Babar couldn’t do what was best for the team and bat at number 3 in T20is

No chance of him thinking about his nation and stepping down

True fans know he didn't open in t20 to lead from the front. He did cause he wants the eye catching 100

 

[jibranansarisahab]

Who is the new captain? Hope not shan masood.

 

[heddie19]

Who is the new captain? Hope not shan masood.

He is for tests

 

[Saj]

This was the press release from PCB today:

PCB Chairman Management Committee Zaka Ashraf and Babar Azam met at the PCB headquarters in Lahore today and had a cordial meeting to discuss various aspects and the World Cup performance. Babar was asked to continue as Test captain, while he has been relieved of captaincy in white-ball cricket for him to focus on one format.

After consultation with his family, Babar decided to step down and PCB stands behind his decision.


So basically they wanted him to carry on Test skipper and drop the role in the white ball format.

He's probably looked at the next series and thought, to hell with this, I'm on a hiding to nothing, may as well quit.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Babar Azam made a good decision by stepping down as captain in all formats of cricket. Now, he can focus on his batting and aim to make records. I want to see him become a legend worldwide, not just for Pakistan.

 

[sugumarrising]

Good from babar, he looks a decent guy, no show off, hereafter he can play his best without the captainship responsibility.

 

[Kianig89]

well the replacements of Babar does not ooze n iota of confidence, Pakistan cricket has gone backwards by replacing Babar

 

[mominsaigol]

They

well the replacements of Babar does not ooze n iota of confidence, Pakistan cricket has gone backwards by replacing Babar

They Had gone backwards since misbah. It's been downhill since then.

Slight resurgence thanks to mickey in 2017 but mickey solution of focusing on only 15 players would backfire eventually

 

[Savak]

Lol at the praise for Babar for stepping down. He didn't do it out of the kindness of his heart and neither did he have a choice. He had no choice and was told to step down

 

[adi_62941]

Good from babar, he looks a decent guy, no show off, hereafter he can play his best without the captainship responsibility.

Sometimes, excessive decency can lead to trouble. We missed our trademark X factor under Babar. Our players like our captain went over the top good againsts opposition players. However, it would have been ideal for our cricket to flourish under a technically sound and globally acclaimed batsman like Babar but alas!

 

[Saj]

I think the PCB knew what they were doing.

They knew he wouldn't accept just Test captaincy, so he made their job easier by resigning.

 

[OMB]

Probably he would have become the best person to lead eventually as did get a great lesson as a captain.
but heads must roll and off he goes.

Regardless of what he did, just think, these lessons are very costly to be imparted to a new captain every time.

 

[Saj]

I am sure he will be back as captain some day in the future.

Usually happens in Pakistan cricket and this will not be any different.