Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan has important advice for Babar Azam: shut out the controversies over the captaincy and get back to scoring runs. Criticism over on-field decisions has put Babar under extra scrutiny for his current form and T20 strike rate. But Younis does not feel any of that is worth Babar’s attention, as he needs to rediscover his form with the bat.
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Recent Struggles and Captaincy Challenges of Babar Azam
Babar Azam hasn’t scored a half-century in Test cricket since December 2022. Incidentally, the highly talented cricketer quit the captaincy mantle in all three formats in November 2023. However, he was reinstated as captain in limited-overs cricket for Pakistan several months later. A mediocre run in recent times has sparked debates on his captaincy credentials.
Younis Khan, Pakistan’s leading runscorer in Test cricket, weighed in on the saga, underlining that Babar was only made captain in 2019 because he was a talented player, not because there weren’t any other options.
“When Babar was made captain, he was the best player in the side. The PCB chair decided in my presence that the best cricketer of the team should lead it,” Younis said. His remark is an important indication that Babar was never made captain because there was no alternative available, but because he is perceived to be such a good cricketer.
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Focus on Performance, Not on Words
A good chunk of Younis Khan’s counsel speaks to an increasing trend amongst modern cricketers-the tendency to do more talking than actual performing. “Your performance should speak, not you. Today’s cricketers speak too often. Speaking is best left to us, the former cricketers,” Younis added, reiterating that actions on the field are all one needs to do. He further advised Babar and all the upcoming cricketers to avoid distractions and work at polishing their skills.
In a world where social media and media scrutiny continue to play an increasingly influential role in shaping the image of a player, Younis urged Babar to remain focused on his craft. “Use social media as much as you want, but your bat and ball should do the talking to answer every question”, Younis articulated further in the wake of growing external noise.
Managing Expectations: A Delicate Balance
Younis didn’t hold himself back from talking about the expectations of the media and the role they play for someone like Babar. Younis said, “The fans, the media they have a lot of expectations, which I feel is wrong to expect a century every time he goes out there to bat.” Younis shared, “When you criticized me, I would keep the new clippings in front of me. That would motivate me.” That is just a reminder of how, with even the harshest of criticism, it can be used as a major motivator toward improvement.
Younis here is both empathetic and critical as he feels that though the media does play a very important role in shaping the narrative relating to players, cricketers themselves have to manage expectations by continuing to give their best performances.
Learning from Virat Kohli: A Role Model for Babar Azam
To help Babar get over the recent controversies surrounding his leadership, Younis Khan pointed toward India’s Virat Kohli’s example. Kohli once used to lead India in all formats. Then he gave up the captaincy, just to continue breaking records with his batting. Younis sees the same potential in Babar. “He has achieved so much at this age. He needs to focus on the future.”. Captaincy is minor in the bigger scheme of things.”
Younis believes that Babar Azam can do great things in his cricketing career. If he remains focused and undistracted, he may even score as many as 15,000 runs in international cricket. By prioritizing team success over personal milestones, Babar can achieve more than just building a legacy and helping Pakistan cricket touch new highs.
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The Path Forward: Prioritizing Performance
As Younis Khan puts it, Babar Azam has to shut down the noise for captaincy and focus on performance only. According to Younis, captaincy is just a minor part of his overall journey, and he would be capable of doing much better if he managed to keep his focus on the game. Emulation of greats like Kohli means Babar can aspire to join the ranks of all-time cricketing legends as much as he leads the team.
Conclusion
The advice from Younis Khan comes at a very critical juncture in Babar Azam’s career, where he needs to balance his expectation with performance. The best way Babar Azam can show himself above these continuous debates is by keeping his focus on the field and letting his performance speak for itself.
