Salman Butt explains the theory behind Babar Azam's resignation as Pakistan captain

Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has claimed that Babar Azam's resignation as the white-ball captain was on the cards for a long time, and he was not surprised by the star batter’s call.

Babar has recently resigned as Pakistan white-ball captain, and PCB has also officially accepted his resignation, which came in the wake of coach Gary Kirsten’s secret report.

As Babar stepped down from the leadership role to concentrate on his batting, Butt believes that this decision comes as a relief for the right-handed batter, especially amidst growing criticisms and pressures surrounding him over his and the team’s performance.

Salman Butt sees Babar Azam's resignation as Pakistan captain as big relief

Babar has faced an uphill battle in recent months, struggling to find his form while the Men in Green were knocked out of the T20 World Cup 2024 in a shocking group-stage exit. Many have pointed fingers at his captaincy, questioning his ability to guide the team effectively under pressure.

However, Butt claimed that this ongoing scrutiny has only added to the burden on Babar, hindering his performance as a batter. The former captain emphatically stated that Babar's focus should shift entirely to his batting prowess, and his skills with the bat are more crucial for the team's success.

With his exceptional talent, Butt emphasized that Babar can be a game-changer for the Pakistan cricket team if he dedicates himself fully to his batting rather than the demands of captaincy. He also called Babar a great batter, as he is gearing up for the three-match Test series against England.

Salman Butt said on his YouTube channel: “Babar Azam has resigned from white-ball captaincy, and I think there's nothing to talk about it. I think he has done the right thing and should have done it earlier... People were undermining him, and it was the right decision from Babar. He should focus more on his batting, and it will be more valuable for the Pakistan cricket team, and he is also a great batter.”

Babar Azam's troubled tenure as Pakistan captain in short

Meanwhile, Babar Azam's tenure as Pakistan's captain has been marked by a series of disappointments, failing to secure any significant title since his appointment in 2019. One of the few highlights during his leadership was Pakistan's historic T20I win against India in the 2021 T20 World Cup held in Dubai.

Then, Pakistan reached the finals of the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, where they fell short against England, and Babar's captaincy was blamed for the lost opportunity. The setbacks continued as Pakistan's performance in the Asia Cup last year was lackluster, facing Super 4 elimination after a narrow two-wicket loss to Sri Lanka in Colombo.

A tale of 2 disappointing World Cups for Babar

Later, things only worsened as Pakistan failed to advance to the group stage in the ODI World Cup 2023 hosted by India, leading to a shake-up in leadership. Shaheen Afridi took over as T20I captain but faced a quick removal after a disappointing 4-1 series loss to New Zealand.

Babar Azam was eventually reinstated as the captain for the white-ball formats, while Shan Masood took charge of the Test team.

However, Pakistan’s struggles continued, and Babar Azam faced one of the most humiliating moments of his captaincy in the 2024 T20 World Cup, where they suffered an unexpected defeat against the co-hosts, the USA, a non-test-playing nation, in their opening match.