Babar Azam's reign as Pakistan's cricket captain appears to be hanging by a thread, with the curtains potentially closing on his leadership journey after the upcoming World Cup. In the cricketing corridors, there's a growing consensus within the Pakistan Cricket Board that Babar has had his opportunity to prove himself, and the results as captain have been less than satisfactory.
A crucial point of contention has been the leaking of reports that highlight differences and disputes within the dressing room. Such developments have left the board far from pleased, raising concerns about the team's unity and cohesiveness.
Babar Azam now finds himself squarely in the crosshairs for Pakistan's recent Asia Cup and World Cup defeats. There has been no discernible effort to diminish his authority within the team. Despite suggestions from luminaries like Misbah-ul-Haq and Mohammad Hafeez, Babar received carte blanche in selecting the players he wanted.
The captaincy tug-of-war further escalated when Babar Azam resisted adding the mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed to the World Cup squad. He relented only to an extent, agreeing to include Abrar as a traveling reserve for the tournament in India.
The battle for the captain's armband has intensified behind the scenes, with lobbies forming for potential candidates. The likes of Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shan Masood have set their sights on the coveted role. It's now probable that Pakistan will designate separate captains for red and white-ball formats.
Sarfaraz Ahmed may stage a comeback as the Test and ODI captain, while the T20 reins could possibly fall into the hands of Shaheen Shah Afridi.
The wind of change is also sweeping through the coaching staff. Figures like Mickey Arthur, Grant Bradburn, Mornรฉ Morkel, Andrew Puttick, and manager Rehan ul Haq could soon be asked to step down post-World Cup.
As Pakistan embarks on their Test tour of Australia and the white-ball series in New Zealand following the World Cup, the nation is on the cusp of a new era. With the potential shift in captaincy and a revamped coaching staff, the future of Pakistan cricket is set to undergo a transformation. ๐๐ต๐ฐ
#CWC2023 #BabarAzam #SarfarazAhmed #ShaheenShahAfridi #Cricketlovers
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