Easy to give opinion on TV: Babar responds to critics
Azam has been in the eye of storm after its embarrassing eight-wicket defeat against Afghanistan and for failing to defend 271 against South Africa, which it had reduced to 260/9.
KOLKATA: Hitting back at critics for questioning his leadership skills, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam on Friday said it’s easy to give opinion on TV and asserted that captaincy had no adverse impact on his batting in the World Cup.
Azam has been in the eye of storm after its embarrassing eight-wicket defeat against Afghanistan and for failing to defend 271 against South Africa, which it had reduced to 260/9.
Former skippers including Moin Khan and Shoaib Malik have openly criticised Babar’s captaincy on air and felt that the burden of leadership has affected his batting.
“It’s very easy to give opinion on TV. If someone wishes to offer advice, they are welcome to call me directly, my number is known to everyone,” Babar said, referring to the criticism.
Malik had contended that Babar was king as a batter but not as a leader.
“The guy who is most responsible is the captain,” Malik had said. Moin had opined that Babar should learn from Indian batter Virat Kohli, who is now more focused on batting after quitting captaincy.
“He would have been better playing as a batter than leading this team. Look at Kohli,” said Moin. Babar held firm and said his form was never affected by the criticism.
“I have been captaining my team for the last three years and I have never felt this way. It’s just because I have not performed the way I should have in the World Cup, that’s why people are saying that I am under pressure.
“I don’t think I was under any pressure or felt any different because of this. I try to give my best in the field during the fielding. During batting, I think about how I should make runs and make the team win,” he said. Facing a barrage of questions from Pakistani journalists including the possibility of stepping down from the captaincy, Babar remained steadfast and composed, playing with a straight bat.
“I have no idea what decisions you are talking about. The decisions we make here, regarding selections of players -- are the decision of the coaches and the captain. “We go with the best combination of conditions and situations. Sometimes we have succeeded and sometimes we haven’t.”
“About the captaincy -- as I said, once we go back to Pakistan or after this match, we will see what happens. But right now, I am not focusing on this, my focus is on the next match.”
