Babar Azam is enduring one of the most difficult phases of his cricketing career, struggling to make an impact both with the bat and as captain. In Pakistan's recent Test series against Bangladesh, the prolific right-hander failed to score a half-century in four innings, as the side suffered a shock 2-0 series defeat. In the T20 World Cup 2024 earlier this June, Pakistan, under Babar’s captaincy, crashed out in the group stages following a shocking defeat to the USA and a disappointing loss to arch-rivals India.

This poor run of form has sparked widespread criticism from fans and former players alike, with many questioning Babar’s position as captain, too. Former Pakistan captain and legendary middle-order batter Younis Khan, who famously led Pakistan to their T20 World Cup triumph in 2009, has now weighed in on Babar’s current slump.

According to Younis, Babar was made captain in 2019 because he was the best batter in the team at the time, and he now needs to refocus on his game. Younis believes Babar should concentrate solely on his cricket, shedding distractions and external pressures to regain his form.

“The only suggestion I have for Babar is that he should focus on his cricket. He should up his performance. Babar Azam was made the captain because he was the best player at the time. I was there when the decision was made that the team’s best player should be the captain," Younis said during an event in Pakistan.

“If Babar and other top players deliver on the field, then results will be clear to everyone. I have observed that our players tend to talk more than they perform," he added.

Learn from Kohli

Younis further advised Babar to take a leaf out of Virat Kohli's notebook, stressing how the India star focussed on regaining form by parting ways with leadership.

"He has achieved a lot at such a young age, but what he needs to know what he wants to achieve in the future. Captaincy is a small thing, performance is what matters. Look at Virat Kohli. He chose to step down from captaincy on his own terms, and now he’s breaking records worldwide. This shows that playing for the country should be the priority. If there’s any energy left, then play for yourself,” he added.

Babar is currently taking part in the Champions Cup, a domestic one-day tournament held in Pakistan which serves as preparation for the next year's Champions Trophy.

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