Younis Khan endorses Babar Azam’s decision to step down as captain
Former Pakistan cricket captain Younis Khan has expressed his support for Babar Azam’s decision to step down as captain, saying it will be “good” for him in the long run.
Younis, who led Pakistan to victory in the 2009 T20 World Cup after reaching the final in 2007, suggested that wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman should be considered for the captaincy.
“In our culture, we often make the best player the captain, but I think that’s a mistake,” Younis commented, explaining why Rizwan or Zaman might be better choices for the leadership role.
On Tuesday, Babar announced his resignation from white-ball captaincy, saying he now wants to focus on his playing role and personal development. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had reappointed Babar as captain of the T20 and ODI teams in March 2023, but he ended his long stint as captain in November 2023 after stepping down from his role.
Younis shared his thoughts while visiting the Adelaide Oval, where he was honored with an official South Australia Redbacks cap by Mark Cosgrove, a former Australian cricketer and current High-Performance Coach at the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA). Younis had played for the Redbacks during the 2008-2009 season.
During a media briefing, Younis spoke optimistically about Pakistan’s future in Australia, highlighting the young talent in the current white-ball squad but also noting some issues with team selection.
“I hope the Pakistan team performs well in Australia. There is a lot of young talent, but we still need to improve our selection decisions,” Younis said.
He also mentioned that he has worked with Jason Gillespie, who is currently involved in coaching efforts to improve the Pakistan team. However, Younis emphasized the need for better decision-making in selecting players.
Younis is also set to participate in the Australian Summer Cricket Festival on October 5 in Melbourne, where he will join top Australian cricketers like Glenn Maxwell and Jake Fraser-McGurk in an event celebrating the sport.
