Former Indian cricketer reacts to Shan's declaration decision, shares thoughts on Babar Azam

Former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has shared his thoughts on Pakistan's white-ball captain Babar Azam's recent struggles following the first Test match against Bangladesh in Rawalpndi. 

Speaking on Cricbuzz's "Hey CB with DK," Karthik acknowledged Azam's exceptional batting skills but highlighted the significant pressure he faces as a captain.

He praised Babar Azam's prowess as a batter but pointed out that the weight of captaincy might be affecting his performance. 

"Babar Azam as a player, nobody can doubt his quality. He's got outstanding batting potential, though I feel he's under a lot of pressure," Karthik said.

The former cricketer also expressed his views on Pakistan's decision to declare early in their first innings against Bangladesh. Karthik suggested that teams should focus on setting a substantial target by batting longer in the first innings to exert pressure on the opposition. 

"That's something that they need to rethink about. Pakistan now in that test match against Bangladesh, I thought they declared a touch too early in the first inning. In Asia, it's about batting big and batting long in the first inning," he said.

Karthik further discussed the broader challenges faced by teams like Pakistan and Sri Lanka, attributing their recent downfalls to financial struggles impacting their infrastructure and domestic cricket. 

"Number one, you need a very strong domestic structure for you to do well in international cricket. That has been a challenge for both these teams over the years," he said.

"Financially, they've had their struggles, and hence it reflects in the infrastructure development, and in turn, it reflects in their domestic cricket. And hence, they've not been able to produce the quality of cricketers they have produced over the years," he added.

Karthik concluded by emphasizing the importance of a robust financial system and strong domestic cricket structures in nurturing international cricket talent. 

"It's a very big cycle how you get your finances, how you use them for cricket, and in turn, how you make sure that domestic cricket is held, and that will definitely feed into your international cricket."