The 2023 ODI World Cup proved to be a disappointing campaign for Pakistan, bowing out in the league stage with a fifth-place finish. Captain Babar Azam, a key figure, struggled to make a significant impact, scoring 320 runs in 9 matches with an average of 40 and four half-centuries. Before the tournament, Indian cricket legend Gautam Gambhir had anticipated a stellar performance from Babar, predicting 3-4 centuries.
However, Gambhir now believes that the weight of captaincy took a toll on Babar, who subsequently stepped down from the leadership role across formats after Pakistan’s early exit. Gambhir expresses confidence that Babar, relieved from the burdens of captaincy, will return as a transformed player.
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“You’ll see the best of Babar Azam now,” remarked Gautam Gambhir in an interview with Sportskeeda. “You will see a completely different Babar Azam. Before the World Cup, I picked Babar as the batter of the tournament. But the pressure of captaincy, when your team isn’t doing well you can imagine the pressure.”
Gambhir anticipates a revitalized Babar Azam, now free from the challenges of leading the team. He believes that the batter has another decade of top-quality cricket ahead of him without the added pressure of captaincy.
“You will now see the actual Babar Azam. I don’t know what his record is, but now you will see his actual ability till the time he continues playing. Babar doesn’t have to prove anything. Babar has the quality to become the best batter Pakistan has ever produced. He’s just 27-28 and will have another 10 years because of no pressure of captaincy,” Gautam Gambhir asserted.
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As Pakistan embarks on a Test series in Australia, their first assignment post the World Cup, the cricketing world awaits to witness the rejuvenated form of Babar Azam as he resumes his journey without the added responsibility of captaincy. The first Test of the series is scheduled to commence on December 14 in Perth.
