Reason revealed behind Babar Azam's resignation as white-ball skipper

The reasons behind national team batter Babar Azam's decision to step down as the white-ball skipper have been unveiled. The 29-year-old announced his resignation yesterday, citing a desire to focus on batting and spend more time with his family.

Contrary to popular belief, Babar Azam was not compelled to give up the captaincy. In fact, white-ball coach Gary Kirsten showed a strong desire to keep him as the ODI leader. However, Kirsten has been advocating for a change in T20 captaincy since July.

During a meeting in July, Gary Kirsten presented his T20 World Cup report and discussed potential captaincy changes with Babar Azam. Despite Kirsten's ongoing attempts to convince Babar to continue leading the ODI team, the batter remained unconvinced, feeling a disconnect from the players and sensing a lack of value.

Sources suggest that following the World Cup, communication between Babar Azam and the cricket board diminished significantly. During this period, the cricketer was excluded from any consultation processes. Prior to announcing his resignation, Babar communicated his decision to a senior board official.

Following Babar Azam's departure from the captaincy, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has emerged as a strong contender to lead the white-ball team. Consultations with Rizwan regarding team selection are also underway.

The introduction of a new T20 captain is part of Gary Kirsten's long-term plans for the Pakistan cricket team.