Pakistan’s cricket captain Babar Azam has recently faced sharp criticism from former national cricket stars Abdul Razzaq and Sikandar Bakht for what they describe as an underwhelming approach to batting, despite maintaining the top spot in rankings. Their observations have stirred a debate in cricket circles about the essence of truly world-class batting.
During a discussion on Geo Super, Sikandar Bakht, a former Pakistan pacer, questioned the practical benefits of Azam’s No. 1 ranking. He humorously likened Azam’s ranking to that of a student who excels in class but unexpectedly fails in the key matriculation exam, emphasizing what he sees as a disparity between Azam’s theoretical proficiency and match-winning performance.
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Abdul Razzaq, a celebrated all-rounder of yesteryears, openly expressed his viewpoint that Azam does not meet the criteria of a world-class batsman. He held up India’s Rohit Sharma as a model for Azam to emulate, praising Sharma’s intent to launch an aggressive scoring pace right from the game’s outset. Razzaq reflected on past greats such as Matthew Hayden, Sanath Jayasuriya, Sachin Tendulkar, and Ricky Ponting, emphasizing that real game-changers have the ability to dominate and decisively distance the game from the opposition’s reach.
The former Pakistani all-rounder attributed India’s current cricket dominance partly to their national unity and sense of playing for their country, a sentiment he feels is personified by Virat Kohli’s enthusiastic celebrations for his teammates’ achievements.
Bakht also pointed out Indian bowlers’ attacking strategy which, coupled with their batters’ aggressiveness, creates a formidable side. He remarked on the past performance of Pakistani bowlers, noting how fluctuating form is a normal part of cricket dynamics, yet ultimately acknowledged the cohesive confidence with which the Indian team has been playing.
Both Razzaq and Bakht paid tribute to the Indian cricket team’s astuteness in making the most of home conditions to play strategically smart cricket. Razzaq dissected India’s gameplay against South Africa and admired their pacing throughout the innings to build a substantial total, an approach that expects strong tactical awareness and adaptive strategies.
Amidst debates on pitches favoring home teams, Bakht acknowledged India’s competence not only on home turf but also abroad, citing their stellar performance against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final as evidence of their all-condition adaptability.
What is apparent from Razzaq’s and Bakht’s remarks is an underlying appeal for Pakistan’s cricket strategies to evolve. Their comments highlight the competitive standard set by teams like India, underlining the need for Pakistani players to adopt a more proactive and forceful approach to maximize both individual and team potential. This critique ultimately aims for a reinvention of Pakistan’s cricket ideology, to aspire beyond ranking titles and towards a consistently dominant and victorious performance in the international arena.