Former Indian opening batsman Gautam Gambhir has expressed his belief that Babar Azam has the potential to become Pakistan’s greatest batter once he concludes his cricket career.
Babar recently relinquished the captaincy across all three formats following Pakistan’s below-par performance in the ODI World Cup in India.
Gambhir commented on the decision, stating, “It’s an individual choice of players to leave or accept captaincy. Babar Azam is still a top-quality batter for me.
We might get to see the best of Babar Azam now.” He emphasized the impact of captaincy on players in Pakistan, noting that both criticism and praise are often directed solely at the captain, a phenomenon that occurs to a lesser extent in India.
Gambhir further speculated on Babar’s potential as a batter after stepping down from captaincy, saying, “He could reach a different level as a batter after leaving captaincy. He could become Pakistan’s best by the time he retires.”
Babar Azam, who has amassed 3772 runs in 49 Tests, 5729 runs in 117 ODIs, and 3485 runs in 104 T20Is for Pakistan, is already recognized as a top-quality batsman.
Gambhir’s comments suggest that his prowess may further elevate without the additional responsibilities of captaincy.