Pakistani skipper Babar Azam is facing strong criticism across the boardover his poor captaincy in the Asia Cup matches. Ramiz Raja had earliercriticised him over his decision making and social media is also abuzz withhis capabilities as a captain.
Now Gautam Gambhir, the former cricketer from India, expressed his strongdissatisfaction with Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, in the aftermath ofPakistan’s exit from the Asia Cup 2023. The tournament saw Pakistan’selimination after a heart-wrenching two-wicket loss to Sri Lanka in whatwas essentially a virtual semi-final match during the Super Four stage.
Babar Azam’s leadership was heavily criticized, as he was blamed foradopting a seemingly passive approach, making erroneous bowling decisions,and questionable fielding placements during this pivotal encounter.
In a candid interview, Gautam Gambhir, who has been a vocal critic of BabarAzam’s captaincy, did not mince words. He chastised the prolific batter forhis handling of the team and suggested that he should have applied morepressure by introducing bowlers capable of taking wickets.
Gambhir pointed out a crucial moment when he said, “You were allowing thegame to drift at one stage.” He argued that Babar Azam should have utilizedhis primary bowlers when the partnership between Kusal Mendis and SadeeraSamarawickrama was flourishing, with the objective of disrupting theirrhythm and securing vital wickets.
Gambhir emphasized that, in his view, the only way Pakistan could have wonthat match was by taking wickets consistently. He stressed the differencebetween ODI cricket and T20 cricket, suggesting that Babar Azam needed toadapt his captaincy skills accordingly.
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Furthermore, he highlighted a specific aspect of field placement,explaining that Babar should have adjusted the field positions when bowlerslike Zaman Khan and Shaheen Afridi altered the pace of their deliveries.According to Gambhir, such simple tactical adjustments could have made asignificant impact on the outcome of the match, especially during a closecontest like that.
In summary, Gautam Gambhir’s critique of Babar Azam’s leadership in theAsia Cup 2023 centered on the perceived shortcomings in decision-making,field placements, and the failure to prioritize taking wickets.
As a former cricketer with a wealth of experience, his insights shed lighton the intricacies of captaincy in the one-day format and underscored theneed for adaptability and strategic thinking in high-stakes matches likethe one Pakistan faced against Sri Lanka.