Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has weighed in on Babar Azam’s tenure as Pakistan cricket team captain, offering a measured critique of his leadership.
While acknowledging Babar’s impressive statistical record, Butt described his captaincy as “underwhelming” when viewed through the lens of team achievements and pivotal moments.
Speaking on a ProPakistani’sHow Does it Work Podcast?, Butt highlighted that Babar’s performances as captain were often exemplary, with the star batter consistently among the top run-scorers in the world. His leadership saw Pakistan achieve significant milestones, including an impressive winning streak in T20Is and a strong showing in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021, where they famously defeated arch-rivals India.
However, Butt noted that despite these achievements, Babar’s captaincy failed to translate into sustained success in multi-nation tournaments or marquee bilateral series.
“Statistically, yes he was (a successful captain). The team’s winning percentage was high. But stats are never complete info” Salman Butt said of Babar Azam’s captaincy. They do not tell you the deep facts”.
Lack of Tactical Brilliance
Butt pointed out that while Babar is a natural leader in terms of his batting, his tactical acumen as captain often came under scrutiny. Critics have frequently called out his conservative field settings and lack of adaptability under pressure.
“Yes, we have played finals under him. But the possibilities we could have ended up with on the winning side, we left those because of our lack of awareness,” he added. “Babar could not develop bench strength under him. Leadership is not something you cannot learn. It’s instinctive if it is not inherent, it will never come to you” Salman Butt said.
High Praise
Despite his criticism, Butt acknowledged that Babar’s skills as a batter.
He did whatever he was capable of. He is a world class player, a player for the generations. He has such a perfect technique that kids should make him their role model as a batter. We need to give him respect that his stature deserves
The Road Ahead for Babar
With his captaincy now behind him, Babar Azam remains a vital cog in Pakistan’s batting lineup. Butt believes the experience of leading the side, regardless of its ups and downs, will only strengthen Babar’s resolve as a player.
| Format | Matches | Win | Lost | Tied | Draw | No Result | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 20 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 62.50 |
| ODI | 43 | 26 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 60.46 |
| PSL | 33 | 12 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36.36 |
| T20I | 85 | 48 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 56.47 |
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