Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt took on the ever-increasing scrutiny around him Babar AzamPakistan’s star prospect and former captain. In a recent statement, Butt highlighted two main reasons why Babar is currently under immense pressure despite being one of the best batsmen of the decade.
Babar Azam’s succession is a double-edged sword
Butt pointed out that while Babar’s consistent performances have established him as Pakistan’s mainstay, this consistency has led to heightened expectations.
“There are two reasons (Babar faced so much heat). He is undoubtedly Pakistan’s best batsman at the moment and I think he is the most consistent player of the decade.” Butt noted as quoted by Geo Super.
However, Butt noted that in the past when a key player struggled with form, others would step in to ensure the team wins. This collective effort helped reduce the pressure on individual players.
“There used to be four or five other players who were winning matches, so everyone was respected and he was covered. Now the problem is that Babar has scored so many goals then he is the only top scorer for Pakistan. There is no one like him.” Butt added.
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Pakistan’s overdependence on Babar
Butt’s analysis also sheds light on a critical issue for the Pakistan team: its over-reliance on Babar. According to the left-hander, this addiction has put the star prospect under immense pressure to perform in every game.
“Now, when he is not scoring, it seems that Babar is doing nothing. Babar got people used to scoring so many runs that people now want him to score a lot of runs in every innings,” explained Butt.
Butt further highlighted that when Babar fails to perform, it often spells trouble for the entire team. He drew attention to the absence of players who won other matches in the squad.
“You see, the day he doesn’t run, you know the Pakistan team won’t win the match.” noted.
Lack of player development and technical skills
The former captain said that he is worried about the development of other players in the team. Butt criticized the current emphasis on power hitting and aggressive play over cultivating sound hitting techniques.
“You tried to develop everyone based on power hitting, open play. And now you don’t have players with the right technique.” Butt concluded.
It continues to be a cornerstone like Babar PakistanButt’s comments highlight the wider challenges the team faces in producing more balanced and reliable match-winners.
