"Has To Prove He Is Viv Richards": Ramiz Raja Sets Bold Target For Babar Azam After Test Snub

30.10.2024 - 03:37 sports.ndtv.com

Former Pakistan cricketer and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja feels that star batter Babar Azam has yet to achieve his best in the Test format.

Babar was rested for the last two Tests against England after his poor form. Pakistan won both the matches and secured the series 2-1, the first under Shan Masood's rein.

In 55 Tests, Babar has scored 3,997 runs at an average of 43.92. However, he has not scored a Test half-century since 2022 and has seen a dip in form in a year where he was made captain and then left the post after Pakistan suffered a group-stage exit in this year's T20 World Cup in June.

Talking about Babar's recent form, Raja feels that former captain has to show that he has potential like legendary Viv Richards. "I feel Babar has to achieve a lot more in Test cricket.

cricket Pakistan Cricket Team Ramiz Raja Babar Azam Shan Masood Australia Pakistan

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja on Tuesday reacted to Gary Kirsten's departure as white-ball head coach and said that it will be tough for Pakistan to hire international talent. In the last few days, Pakistan cricket has experienced considerable upheaval - from Rizwan's appointment as white-ball skipper and Kirsten's resignation as T20I and ODI coach to the subsequent appointment of Jason Gillespie as all-format head coach. Speaking to the reporters, Ramiz said that PCB has faced a lot of backlash from Gary Kirsten's resignation.

Ramiz Raja Breaks Silence On Viral '6 Losses' Comment On Shan Masood. Says, "My Goal..."

Pakistan great Ramiz Raja triggered a row after a part of his interview with the team's Test captain Shan Masood surfaced on social media. Despite Pakistan's dramatic series win against England, Ramiz asked Masood some objectionable questions, making fans on social media as well as Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Amir furious. However, Ramiz has now issued a clarification, saying it wasn't his goal to belittle the Pakistan captain. Ramiz also went on to take a swipe at Pakistan cricket's fans, saying they are only alive on social media.

Did PCB Ask Babar Azam To Leave Captaincy? Chief Mohsin Naqvi Breaks Silence

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday addressed Babar Azam's resignation from the white-ball captaincy, clarifying that no one from the PCB pressured the 30-year-old to step down. Earlier this month, Babar announced his decision to relinquish the white-ball captaincy of the Pakistan cricket team to "prioritise" his performance. Since Babar took on the role in 2019, Pakistan has not won a major tournament. Last year, under his leadership, the team was eliminated from the Asia Cup in the Super 4 stage following a two-wicket defeat by Sri Lanka in Colombo. A few months later, Pakistan's struggles continued, with the team failing to reach the knockout stage of the ODI World Cup in India.

Watch: Amir's Blunt "Behave Like Educated Person" Swipe At Ramiz Raja

The Pakistan cricket team's series win against England brought back a sense of joy in the nation. After a comprehesive loss in the first match, Pakistan showed stunning turnaround in their performance to win the next two Tests, and the series. However, as Pakistan great Ramiz Raja interviewed captain Shan Masood after the game, some of the questions he asked left social media flabbergasted. Instead of praising the Pakistan skipper for the manner in which his team turned the table around.

Babar Azam Dropped As Pakistan Team Announced vs Zimbabwe, Picked For Australia Series

Former captain Babar Azam, pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah on Sunday returned to the Pakistan team for the upcoming white-ball series in Australia after being sidelined for two Tests against England. The Pakistani selectors announced the One-Day International and T20I squads for the tours of Australia and Zimbabwe starting next month. Many new faces have been brought into the squads, while senior players like Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan missed out on selection.

Big Setback For Shaheen Afridi In PCB Central Contracts, Babar Azam Placed In...

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday demoted premier pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi to Category B from Category A, and did not offer central contracts to senior players Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed and Osama Mir for the 2024-25 season. Test skipper Shan Masood remained in Category B despite Pakistan scoring a come-from-behind 2-1 series victory over England recently.