Younis Khan's tight 'selfish' slap to Babar Azam puts the spotlight on Virat Kohli

Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan has launched a scathing attack on the star batter Babar Azam, accusing him, along with other top players of the national cricket team, of being more interested in their gains than the team's success.

The legendary batter’s comments came in the wake of Babar's alarming form slump with the bat, wherein Pakistan’s white-ball captain could not even score a half-century in his last 16 Test innings. His poor figures across the formats sparked the discontent among former cricketers.

Younis Khan slams Babar Azam for prioritizing personal gain over team success

Expressing his frustration with a lack of performance on the field by the top players of the Pakistan cricket team, Younis said: “You just can't have a lot of players talking more than they deliver.” He raised a bigger question about the players’ priorities and focus on the team.

The former Pakistan captain further went on to highlight the shark difference between Babar's approach and that of India's batting legend Virat Kohli, with whom many draw comparisons of the latter.

He mentioned how Kohli stepped down from his captaincy to focus more on his batting and contribute more to the Indian cricket team’s cause while labeling Babar selfish.

Younis Khan was quoted as saying by the Times of India: “If Babar and other top players deliver on the field, then results will be clear to everyone. Humare players khelte kam, bolte zyada hai. (I have observed that our players tend to talk more than they perform.”

Younis Khan asks Babar Azam to follow Virat Kohli’s path

The Pakistani legend suggested that Babar must follow in Kohli’s footsteps, as the former Indian captain delivered a string of record-breaking performances after a long struggle following resigning from captaincy, and the national duty must be above the individual glory.

Younis Khan believes that the Pakistan skipper is struggling due to his improper priorities and a lack of focus on the core foundations of the game.

He requested Babar to work hard and choose his priorities, as he claimed that captaining and performing at the top are not easy to come, as it demands much more commitment, focus, hard work, and determination.

Younis Khan signed off by saying, “Look at Virat Kohli. He chose to step down from captaincy on his own terms, and now he's breaking records worldwide. This shows that playing for the country should be the priority. If there's any energy left, then play for yourself.”

As Babar continues to come under increasing criticism, it will be interesting to see how he redeems himself and lets his performance rub off into results. He is currently playing in the Champions One-Day Cup to find form ahead of the crucial Test series against England at home.

On the other hand, Kohli is gearing up for the opening Test of the two-match Test series against Bangladesh in Chennai, starting on September 19. Undoubtedly, Kohli will once again try to let his bat talk about his form in the upcoming home series against the Tigers.