Basit Ali urges Shan to make own decisions, calls for Babar to step down as captain

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has ignited a debate with his candid remarks about Babar Azam's recent performance as a batsman and captain. 

Babar Azam, who last scored a century against Nepal in the Asia Cup 2023, faces mounting pressure to prove himself in the Test arena. 

Basit Ali emphasized that the Bangladesh series presents a pivotal opportunity for Babar to reclaim his place among the top batsmen in the ICC Test Rankings.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Basit Ali did not hold back his criticism. He suggested that Babar should relinquish his white-ball captaincy to concentrate on his batting. He believes Babar's primary focus should be excelling across all three game formats as Pakistan's premier batsman.

“Babar Azam has made the last century against Nepal in the Asia Cup. It is a great chance for him to prove himself. To come back in the Test Rankings. And he is not the captain. It is a very good thing. And he should quit the white-ball captaincy as well. He should focus on his batting. He is a premium batsman of Pakistan. So, he should perform well,” Basit Ali said.

The former coach also attacked the current state of Pakistani cricket, criticizing what he described as a culture of "overpromising and underdelivering." He pointed out that despite bold claims of winning major tournaments like the World Cup and Asia Cup, Pakistan's performances have been far from impressive.

With Shan Masood now taking on the role of Test captain, Basit called for a shift in leadership strategy. He urged Masood to make bold and independent decisions, prioritising the national team's success over individual favouritism.

“In the last 2-3 years, we have played a lot of talkative cricket. We will win the World Cup. We will win the Asia Cup. We will play in the finals in India. It was all talkative cricket. Now, it is time to deliver. Shan Masood becomes the Test captain again after the Australia series, so he will now have to make his own decisions,” he said.

He concluded his message with a call for courage in leadership: “He should not think like that if he is a premium batter or a premium bowler, then I will give him a soft corner. No. He must take decisions that are good for Pakistan. Not out of fear. Out of bravery. Then the cricket will look good, and they will perform better.”