Under the captaincy of Babar Azam, the performance of the Pakistani team in Tests has not been good. Especially at home, the team has not been able to win even a single match in the last 8 matches.
Image Credit source: AFP
Another missed opportunity and it has once again given an opportunity to the critics, who have been constantly questioning the leadership of Pakistan captain Babar Azam. Last year, the Pakistani team had failed to win a single Test on its soil. She did not start well in the new year as well and failed to win the Test match against New Zealand in Karachi. This has again put Babar’s captaincy in question. A view of this was seen in the press conference after the match, when a journalist made a direct comment on Babar that his hold on the team has weakened and he is likely to be removed from the captaincy.
On the last day of the second Test match against New Zealand in Karachi on Friday, January 6, the Pakistani team could not achieve success despite being in a position to win and reached the brink of defeat. Although the match eventually ended in a draw, it again opened fire on critics of Babar Azam’s captaincy in the longer format.
‘Is the captaincy going to go?’
Due to the continuous decline in the performance of the team in Tests, there are question marks on the future of his captaincy in this format. There are whispers that he may be dropped. In such a situation, in the press conference after the Karachi Test, a Pakistani journalist said the same thing directly in front of Babar and wanted to know his reaction. Pakistani journalist said,
Some people are saying in your name that your hold on the team is getting weaker. Friendship-friendship is ending, ever since Shahid Afridi has come. He has blown a wicket, the vice-captain (Shadab Khan in ODI) has now been made to Shan Masood. It is being said that your Test captaincy is also going to go soon.
A journo revealed to Babar Azam that he was going to lose his Test captaincy and here’s what he said ????
He also said Shahid Afridi removed Shadab Khan’s wicket from limited-overs. What’s happening in pressers these days? #PAKvNZ pic.twitter.com/pN5TFSWX9O
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) January 6, 2023
Babar gave this answer
Babar was surprised by this question but he answered the journalist with patience keeping his emotions under control. The Pakistani captain said, you would know to whom the captaincy is going. I don’t know about it. My job is to perform inside (in the field) and get the team to do well.
Team performance is not good
Last year was very bad for the Pakistani team in Test cricket. Especially in the historic series played at home, he failed to register a win, which robbed him of a great chance to make it to the final of the World Test Championship. He was first defeated 1–0 by Australia, then 3–0 by England, while he could not beat New Zealand in the 2-match series, which ended in a draw.