Former Pakistan cricket captain Rashid Latif has expressed his belief that Babar Azam will regain his top form following his decision to relinquish the white-ball captaincy. According to Latif, the absence of captaincy pressure will allow the star batter to focus on his game and flourish.

Latif took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his thoughts, writing, "He (Babar) understood late but rightly in the end. Mohammad Amir, Azam (Khan) and Imad Wasim have always kept you on your toes, played the World Cup (T20) as they wanted to. Now they are gone. Now Babar's time will come as the pressure of captaincy is off."

Babar Azam recently announced that he would step down as Pakistan’s white-ball captain to prioritize his performance. His tenure as captain, which began in 2019, saw Pakistan struggle to secure major tournament victories. Under Babar’s leadership, Pakistan was eliminated in the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup last year and failed to reach the knockout rounds of the ODI World Cup 2023 in India.

In a statement posted on his official X account, Babar shared his thoughts on stepping down from the role.

"Dear Fans, I'm sharing some news with you today. I have decided to resign as captain of the Pakistan men's cricket team, effective as of my notification to the PCB and Team Management last month. It's been an honour to lead this team, but it's time for me to step down and focus on my playing role. Captaincy has been a rewarding experience, but it's added a significant workload. I want to prioritise my performance, enjoy my batting, and spend quality time with my family, which brings me joy. By stepping down, I will gain clarity moving forward and focus more energy on my game and personal growth. I'm grateful for your unwavering support and belief in me. Your enthusiasm has meant the world to me. I'm proud of what we've achieved together and excited to continue contributing to the team as a player. Thank you for your love and support," Babar posted.

The former skipper's cricketing journey has been remarkable. Since making his Test debut in 2016, he has played 54 matches, scoring 3,962 runs at a strike rate of 54.63. In ODIs, the 29-year-old has amassed 5,729 runs in 117 matches, with an impressive strike rate of 88.75. His T20I career, which began in 2016, has seen him score 4,145 runs in 123 matches at a strike rate of 129.08.