Jason Gillespie: “I’d love for Babar Azam to just go out there and play with complete freedom”
Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani
Former Pakistan red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie has advised batsman Babar Azam to “go out there and play with complete freedom” in T20Is.
Azam’s performance in the shortest format hasn’t been great as of late and questions are being raised about whether he even belongs in the side.
Aware of the mounting pressure on the 31-year-old, Gillespie believes Azam can rediscover his form by tuning out the noise and adopting a more liberated style of play.
“I’d love for Babar Azam to just go out there and play with complete freedom,” the ex-Australia fast bowler was quoted as saying by respected journalist Saj Sadiq on X.
Azam is currently captaining Pakistan in their two-Test series against the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago.
He made scores of 23 and 58 not out in the 1st Test, which the men in green lost y 90 runs.
After the 2nd Test, which will take place from August 2 to 6, Pakistan will head to England to play a three-Test series from August 19 to September 13.
Pakistan Squad for West Indies Test Series: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah
Pakistan Squad for England Test Series: Babar Azam (captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel (subject to fitness), Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah