Babar Azam's reinstatement as Pakistan's captain ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup has sparked a renewed sense of optimism among fans and experts alike. The nation's premier batsman had resigned from captaincy in all formats after Pakistan's disappointing performance at the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, less than a year later, Babar finds himself back in the hot seat, carrying the hopes of a nation on his shoulders.
Ricky Ponting, one of the most successful captains in cricket history, believes that Babar's second tenure as captain could be more fruitful than his first. Speaking to ICC, Ponting emphasized that captaincy is not always suited to the best players. "Captaincy sits better with some players more than others," said Ponting. He stressed that captains need to focus not only on their own performance but also on the improvement of the entire team.
Ponting believes that Babar may have been a victim of this during his first tenure. "Babar, when he first started, I had the feeling his numbers went down on the back of it," he said. However, Ponting believes that Babar may have learned from his first experience as captain, which could pave the way for success in his second term.
Pakistan's form in the lead-up to the 2024 T20 World Cup has been far from impressive. However, with India waiting for them on June 9, Babar has a golden opportunity to prove that the Pakistan Cricket Board has made the right choice in backing him again.
Tags: #BabarAzam, #PakistanCricket, #T20WorldCup, #RickyPonting, #Captaincy
Read more
Share:
T20 World Cup 2024: Ponting Warns of Lower Scores, Slower Pitches
Kuldeep Yadav's Exclusion from India's T20 World Cup XI Surprises Gavaskar