Younis Khan Supports Babar Azam’s Decision to Step Down as White-Ball Captain, Suggests Rizwan and Zaman as Successors
Former Pakistan cricket captain Younis Khan has expressed his support for Babar Azam’s recent decision to resign as the national team’s white-ball captain, calling it a “beneficial” move for Babar’s career. The veteran cricketer also proposed two names for the captaincy role — wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman.
Speaking on Thursday, Younis, 46, remarked that the practice of appointing a team’s biggest player as captain often proves to be a mistake. He believes that Rizwan or Zaman would be strong contenders for the leadership position.
Babar Azam announced his decision to step down on Tuesday, stating that he wanted to focus on his playing role and personal growth. This follows his reappointment by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as the captain of the national side for T20I and ODI formats on March 31. Babar had previously resigned from his role as captain in November 2023, marking the end of a years-long tenure.
During his visit to the Adelaide Oval earlier today, where he was honored with the official South Australia Redbacks cap by former Australian cricketer and current High-Performance Coach of the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA), Mark Cosgrove, Younis expressed optimism about Pakistan’s performance in Australia. He acknowledged the young talent in the squad but also pointed out challenges with team selection.
“I’m hopeful the Pakistan men’s cricket team will perform well in Australia,” Younis said. “There are young players with potential, but better decision-making is needed when it comes to team selection.”
Younis, who represented the Redbacks during the 2008-2009 season, is also set to participate in the Australian Summer Cricket Festival, scheduled for October 5 in Melbourne. He will join top Australian cricketers like Glenn Maxwell and Jake Fraser-McGurk in the event, which aims to celebrate the sport and unite cricketing talent.
