Harbhajan Singh: “He is very good in Test cricket, but maybe T20 doesn’t suit him a lot”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Harbhajan Singh, the former India spinner, has shared his opinion that Pakistan captain Babar Azam is not suited to play T20Is.
The 28-year-old has been regularly criticised for scoring too slowly and wasting too many deliveries, which puts unnecessary pressure on the middle order batsmen.
However, it should be noted that Azam averages 41.48 in the shortest format and has scored three centuries and 30 fifties in 104 T20Is.
Despite this, Harbhajan is not convinced that the Lahore native has what it takes to be a T20I batsman and instead told him to focus on the other formats.
“He is very good in Test cricket, but maybe T20 doesn’t suit him a lot,” he said on his YouTube channel as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
Azam recently made 76 runs in a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka at an average of 25.33.
He then featured in a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan and scored 113 runs, which included two half-centuries, at an average of 37.66.
Currently, he is leading Pakistan in the Asia Cup and has accumulated 178 runs in four matches, which includes a top score of 151, at an average of 59.33.
Pakistan began the tournament with a convincing 238-run victory over Nepal before they were made to share one point apiece with India after rain ruined their match.
Having qualified for the Super Fours, the men in green went on to pummel Bangladesh by seven wickets.
However, their momentum ended up being derailed by India, who thrashed them by 228 runs.
Pakistan will be looking to rebound when they face Sri Lanka on September 14 in Colombo.
Pakistan Squad for 2023 Asia Cup: Babar Azam (capt), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saud Shakeel, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Shahnawaz Dahani, Zaman Khan.
Travelling reserve: Tayyab Tahir