Renowned cricket mentor Matthew Hayden has thrown his support behind Babar Azam, who recently resigned from his role as the captain of the Pakistan national cricket team.
Speaking to the foreign media, Hayden expressed his belief that Babar Azam was a "natural leader and a sound choice" for captaincy. However, he suggested that Pakistan may have acted prematurely in relieving him of the leadership role, emphasising Babar's impressive batting average of over 50 while leading the team.
Hayden went on to pinpoint the key factors contributing to Pakistan's subpar performance. He highlighted the absence of Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi, who were not in top form, along with the disappointing performances of Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz.
Additionally, he noted the delayed arrival of Fakhar Zaman, stating that by the time he joined, it was too late to make a significant impact.
In analysing the situation, Hayden expressed his view that the real challenges lie beyond the individual leadership of Babar Azam.
He attributed Pakistan's cricket struggles to systemic issues within the overall structure of the cricket setup in the country. According to Hayden, addressing these structural concerns is crucial for the long-term success of Pakistani cricket.
