The legendary Pakistani fast bowler known as the ‘Swing of Sultan,’ Wasim Akram, has offered counsel to Babar Azam, suggesting that he avoids taking on captaincy responsibilities in league cricket. Akram emphasizes the undue stress that comes with such roles.
In a recent exchange with a local sports show, Wasim Akram shared his valuable advice with Babar Azam, emphasizing the importance of the prominent player to concentrate on playing, scoring runs, and savoring the joy of the game.
Wasim said, “I had a given an idea to Babar Azam a couple of years ago that don’t do captaincy in league cricket. [You’re a] big player, take your money, play your game, get runs, go home, and then to the next event.”
He added, “Pakistan’s captaincy is alright, but the league brings extra stress without any reason.”
Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir reinforced Wasim Akram’s observations, emphasizing the significant pressure of captaincy on Babar Azam during the World Cup. He expressed confidence in witnessing Babar’s full potential now that he has stepped down from the captaincy role.
Gambhir said, “I think you’ll see the best of Babar Azam now, you’ll see a completely different Babar Azam because I had picked Babar Azam ahead of the World Cup.”
He added, “When you do captaincy in the World Cup and the team doesn’t perform well, then you can imagine the pressure on the skipper. Now, you’ll see the actual Babar Azam, which no one has seen. You’ll see his actual ability from now on.”
Gautam Gambhir also emphasized that there is no necessity for the right-handed batter to substantiate his skills, stating that winning the Pakistan Super League (PSL) wouldn’t necessarily augment the value of his already illustrious career.
Gambhir expressed that Babar Azam doesn’t need to prove anything through PSL victory, adding, “Honestly, Babar Azam possesses immense quality; he has the potential to emerge as the finest batter ever produced by Pakistan.”
The former Indian cricketer further emphasized that Babar Azam has a decade of cricket ahead of him, free from the additional burden of captaincy.
Meanwhile, He noted that despite being unsure of Babar’s exact age, which is 29, the talented batsman can look forward to another fruitful 10 years in the sport, unencumbered by the responsibilities of leadership.
Source: Pro Pakistani