Rohit Sharma leads from the front - Mohammad Hafeez urges Babar Azam to emulate Team India captain's style in 2023 World Cup
Former Pakistan all-rounder Mohammad Hazeef feels that the Men in Green captain Babar Azam needs to improve his game in the remaining matches of the ongoing 2023 World Cup.
Hafeez opined that Babar should learn from Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and start playing attacking cricket. Speaking to PTV Sports, he explained:
"Babar Azam is the captain of Pakistan in this World Cup, and people should back him. He also needs to step up. He needs to perform and be aggressive. Rohit Sharma has been successful because he leads from the front. Babar also needs to do the same."
Hafeez also urged fans to stop comparing Babar Azam to the legends of the game. He claimed that the right-handed batter still has a lot more to achieve for him to be counted as one of the greats.
"As a player, Babar Azam has performed quite well," Mohammad Hafeez stated. "It is unfortunate that people expect a lot from him and compare him with others. He is a very, very good player. He is the best player in Pakistan currently.
"However, it is unfair for Babar when he is compared to the greats. I have my reservations when he is touted as a great Pakistani player. People who call Babar a great have not seen the real greats of the game. He is not great yet. He has to prove a lot."
Babar Azam has come under the scanner for his captaincy and batting form following Pakistan's three back-to-back defeats in the 2023 World Cup. The Men in Green also suffered a humiliating eight-wicket defeat to Afghanistan in their most recent fixture.
"Babar Azam has shown no growth as captain" - Mohammad Hafeez
During the same discussion, Mohammad Hafeez pointed out that Babar Azam has not shown enough improvement as a leader. He stated that the 29-year-old needs to decide if he can thrive under the added pressure of captaincy.
The cricketer-turned-expert suggested that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) should also have a discussion with Babar about his future. Hafeez elaborated:
"Babar has shown no growth as captain. There should have been some maturity and tactical improvement in the past three years. Now Babar himself, or the PCB, should need to make a decision regarding his future. They need to decide if the pressure of captaincy should be relieved so that Babar can shine, or if Babar can shine despite having the additional pressure."
Pakistan are currently placed sixth in the 2023 World Cup points table. They will face South Africa at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday, October 27.