While the ex-cricketers of Pakistan are busy in dishing out
the old nemesis and blame each other to make the cricketing environment
chaotic, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided not to dirty their hands in
the mud, but take a bold step. The Pakistan hierarchy has named a new captain
for the 50-over formats.
Babar Azam would lead Pakistan in the 50-over formats from
now on and which is nothing surprising. Over the years Babar Azam has been one
of the most consistent performers for Pakistan with the bat. His elegance and
the hunger for runs have made him a treat for the eyes. Again, he is very
popular among his teammates and fans around the globe. It is also evident that
Babar can flourish under pressure and is able to marshall an innings with
responsibility.
But the path would not be easier for Babar.
The history suggests, captaining a critical team like
Pakistan has never been easy. Other than the legendary Abdul Hafeez Kardar,
Imran Khan, and Misbah-ul-Haq none of the previous captains experienced a rosy
period. Either they were paralyzed by the petty politics or peppered by the
pressure of captaincy which led to their poor performance. Ultimately,
their downfall was a tragic one.
The challenge for Babar would be to balance between his own
performance and captaincy. Most importantly, he should always be aware of the
petty politics of Pakistan cricket. Even if the going gets tough, his bat needs
to shine and display the never-say-die attitude on the field. He watched the
downfall of Sarfraz Ahmed in his own eyes and that should be a lesson for him.
Appointing Babar as the captain of 50-over format is a bold
decision and if Pakistan think-tank is thinking of a long-term plan then they
need to continue with Babar even during the stormy days. The culture of chopping-and-changing
has not given Pakistan anything good so far and thus, a positive mindset would
be the key.
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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