Babar Azam officially hangs up boots as captain of Pakistan’s ODI team. He announced his resignation via the X/Twitter handle. He said he wants to focus on his game as he has lost form as a batter. Furthermore, he said he needs to spend quality time with his family and focus on personal growth. It is a significant moment for cricket in Pakistan because Pakistan isn’t playing its best cricket and his decision is definitely going to affect it more.
Resignation Announcement
The star player explained that his decision to resign from captaincy is driven by the desire to gain more clarity and channel his energy into improving his performance on the field.
He expressed his gratitude to the authorities who showed trust in his abilities as leader to lead the team. He emphasized that he is unable to focus on his game and unable to give time to his family. Less workload and burden of responsibility will allow him to concentrate on his well-being.
The official handle X quoted, “By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth,”
Reasons Behind Resignation
Captaining the Pakistan cricket team is a rewarding as well as demanding job. He said there were a few factors owing to which he resigned as a captain. The Captain’s pressure coupled with fans’ expectations took a toll on the star batter. The magnificent cover driver admitted that the captaincy added pressure on him which resulted in the decline of his batting performance.
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His tweet said, “Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it added significant responsibility. I want to enjoy my batting and spend quality time with my family.”
Criticism On Captaincy
The batting maestro’s recent performances as a captain in general and as a batter in particular have not been up to the mark. He has faced brutal criticism from former players, cricket analysts, and fans. The cricket team’s shaky performance in the Asia Cup and failure to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup caused questions about his suitability as a captain.
Journey As a Captain
The Pakistan Cricket Board reappointed him as captain for ODIs and T20Is in April 2023 after his resignation as captain. Initially, his appointment was lauded but due to bad performances, he had to soak in the criticism.
First Stint As a Captain
His captaincy has been a mixed bag. In his first stint as a captain, he won a multi-format series against South Africa, an ODI series win against Australia, and a semi-final and a final of consecutive T20 World Cups.
Second Stint As a Captian
The Second stint as a captain was not that good. Pakistan managed to win 6 out of 13 T20Is. The T20 Cup was a disaster as Pakistan was knocked out in the first round.
Will PCB Reappoint The Captain For The Third Time?
This is the second time he has resigned from his role as a captain. But it seems that the former captain is not ready to take the captaincy anytime soon. Because he is adamant about reviving his glory and contributing to the team’s success as a player.
Future In The Team
Now that the burden of captaincy is off his shoulders. He wants to focus on his game and personal well-being. He expressed his excitement to play in the team as a player in the future. It is expected that he may regain his form and improve his batting skills after giving up captaincy.
His decision to step down as the captain is the end of an era. But it is going to be the start of a new chapter in his career where he can fully concentrate on his batting and play to his full potential.