Waqar Younis warns Babar Azam struggling with captaincy
Former captain says Pakistan is losing a key batsman because of the pressures of leadership, according to Indian media reports.
Former Pakistan captain and fast bowler Waqar Younis has said that Babar Azam is struggling with the pressures of captaincy and that Pakistan is losing him as a batsman, according to reports in the Indian press on Monday.
The comments were carried by the Times of India and Hindustan Times. The Times of India quoted Younis as saying Babar Azam 'struggles to handle captaincy' and warned that 'we are losing a player.' Hindustan Times carried a similar account, quoting Younis as saying Babar Azam 'struggles to handle captaincy pressure' and that Pakistan is 'losing him as a player.' Neither report gave the location or date of Younis's remarks.
Younis, a former Pakistan head coach and one of the country's leading wicket-takers in Test cricket, has been an outspoken analyst of the national team. His comments focus on a concern raised often in Pakistan cricket circles: that the burden of leading the side has affected Babar Azam's batting.
Babar Azam is Pakistan's most consistent top-order batsman across formats and has shouldered the batting responsibility for several years. Any sustained dip in his run-scoring would have direct consequences for the team's results.
The two reports did not include a response from Babar Azam or from the Pakistan Cricket Board. They also did not say whether Younis made the remarks during a television appearance, an interview or another setting.
Both reports appear to be based on the same set of remarks, but the outlets used slightly different wording in their headlines.
Babar Azam has led Pakistan in all three formats at different stages of his career. His leadership has been a regular subject of commentary from former players after major tournaments and series.
Younis's remarks are the latest in a series of public comments from former Pakistan cricketers about the team's leadership. The reports did not clarify whether Younis was speaking in a personal capacity or as part of a broadcast panel.
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