Younis Khan slams Babar Azam: Former Pakistan cricket captain Younis Khan has voiced sharp criticism of star batter Babar Azam and other senior players, accusing them of focusing more on self-promotion than team success. Younis, known for his no-nonsense approach, highlighted Pakistan’s recent lackluster performances and took aim at Babar’s leadership and batting form.
Younis was blunt in his assessment, saying, “If Babar and other top players deliver on the field, then results will be clear to everyone. Humare players khelte kam, bolte zyada hai (Our players tend to talk more than they perform).” He expressed his disappointment in the team’s inability to secure victories and urged the players to focus on their on-field contributions rather than their off-field activities. The Pakistan skipper has faced mounting criticism for his failure to score a half-century in his last 16 Test innings, which has drawn concern from former cricketers and fans alike.
Drawing a comparison with Indian batting legend Virat Kohli, Younis pointed out how Kohli stepped down from captaincy to focus on his form, which led to him breaking records globally. “Look at Virat Kohli. He chose to step down from captaincy on his own terms, and now he’s breaking records worldwide. Playing for the country should be the priority,” Younis said, encouraging Babar to follow Kohli’s lead.
Younis stressed that Babar needs to focus on his fitness, performance and leadership, warning that opportunities like the captaincy don’t come around often. He emphasized that players should be more mindful of their social media presence and let their performance on the field do the talking.
Amid speculations of captaincy changes, Pakistan’s cricket board has been advised by white and red-ball coaches Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie not to make hasty decisions. Recent rumors regarding Babar and Test captain Shan Masood’s removal have been dismissed as mere “kite flying” by PCB insiders.
