Mohammad Azharuddin: “You can’t judge a player as captain that quick. He is new to this job. I am sure he will learn”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former India batsman Mohammad Azharuddin said it is unfair for people to pass judgment on Pakistan superstar Babar Azam’s performance as captain as he has not held the leadership for a long enough period of time.
Having led India in the past, Azharuddin knows all too well what kind of pressure the 28-year-old is facing.
His support for Azam comes after Pakistan have suffered a string of poor results.
In their recent five-match T20I series against New Zealand, Pakistan won the first two matches before the third one was abandoned. New Zealand fought back to win the last two games and ensure the series ended as a 2-2 draw.
Azam scored 130 runs in that series, which included a century, at an average of 43.33 and a strike-rate of 146.07.
He then proceeded to amass 276 runs in the five-match ODI series, which included a hundred and two half-centuries, at an average of 55.20. Thanks to his efforts with the bat, the men in green won the series 4-1.
While he continues to be one of Pakistan’s top-performing batsmen, Azharuddin is confident his captaincy skills will keep getting better as he gains more experience.
“You can’t judge a player as captain that quick. He is new to this job. I am sure he will learn,” he was quoted as saying by Cricwick.