"Babar Azam is a brand in himself" - Salman Butt on Shoaib Akhtar's comments about Azam's lack of fluency in English
Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has stated that Babar Azam doesn't have to follow Shoaib Akhtar's advice and learn English. He suggested that on-field exploits are more important than having proficiency in a language.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Butt pointed out how several top athletes prefer to speak in their own language. He opined that Babar's inability to speak English fluently should not be termed a weakness.
The 38-year-old mentioned that the Pakistani skipper's job is to play cricket and not read the news on television.
He explained:
"Babar Azam is quite sensible. You may have a problem with his accent, but there's nothing wrong if he doesn't have a good command over a language that is not his mother tongue. Many athletes around the world intentionally choose to speak in their own language and let people translate. Everyone should feel proud to have ownership of their own language."
Reacting to Akhtar's comments that Babar isn't a big brand because he cannot speak English, Butt highlighted how the batter has already featured in a lot of commercials. He pointed out:
"Not knowing a language should not be portrayed as a big weakness. Babar doesn't have to read the news on TV or do voiceovers for plays. Babar Azam is a brand in himself. How many Pakistani players have remained on top with this consistency?
"The least we can do is give him due credit for what he has done. If doing TV commercials makes you a brand, then Babar too is doing a lot of advertisements."
Meanwhile, Babar has been the star performer for the Pakistani team in recent years. He had a fantastic 2022 and was honored with the ICC Men's Player of the Year and the ICC Men's ODI Cricketer of the Year awards for his brilliant performances.
"Babar Azam has used his silence very well, which is a blessing" - Salman Butt
Salman Butt further stated that Babar Azam has done the right thing by remaining silent amid all the criticism he has been subjected to lately.
The former cricketer suggested that while being good at communication has its own benefits, a player should only be judged on his cricketing skills. Butt noted that Babar has proven his worth by performing consistently for Pakistan.
On this, he said:
"Babar Azam is an outstanding player. The reason for a cricketer's success is his cricketing skills. Yes, being good at communication, or being fluent or articulate in speaking, has its own charisma. But it's not a flaw if you aren't an expert or if it doesn't come naturally to you. Babar has used his silence very well, which is a blessing."
Babar is currently captaining Peshawar Zalmi in the ongoing eighth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 2023). The star batter has mustered 96 runs in three matches so far in the tournament at a strike rate of 133.33.