In a recent interview with a local news channel, cricket all-rounder Shadab Khan praised team captain Babar Azam as an indispensable member of the Pakistan team. He also compared Babar to Indian cricket star Virat Kohli, indicating that Babar is on course to break Kohli’s records.
Shadab admired Babar’s consistent performances, particularly in One Day Internationals (ODI). He stated, “Babar’s exceptional performance, especially in the ODI format, which is his forte, is gradually enabling him to eclipse Virat Kohli’s records.”
Aware of the transparency and scrutiny that come with social media, Shadab acknowledged that high-profile players must be prepared for inevitable criticism. He dismissed rumours of favouritism within the team, saying, “There’s no room for personal preferences in the Pakistan team. If there was, wouldn’t Babar have included his siblings in the team? In today’s digital age, nothing can be concealed.”
He continued, “I was unaware that being a high-profile player attracts more criticism. My remarks about Babar and Rizwan during the press conference in the series against Afghanistan were also misconstrued.”
During his stint as captain in the T20I series against Afghanistan earlier this year, Shadab had voiced his support for Babar and Rizwan following the team’s defeat. His statement, “Now everyone would have understood the importance of Babar and Rizwan,” had sparked debate over his position as vice-captain in white-ball cricket.
However, media reports indicate that Babar has endorsed Shadab, recommending to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that he be retained as vice-captain in the limited-overs format.
