My performances have improved since I have become the captain, believes Babar Azam

07/28/2021

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One of the world's best batters, Babar Azam reckons that his batting displays have improved ever since he has taken over the leadership role of the Pakistan side. He also added that as a skipper, one needs to consistently back the batters and bowlers, irrespective of their performances.

Captaining Pakistan is one of the most difficult jobs, given the intense scrutiny that it brings with itself. And Babar has had his share of challenges leading a fairly inexperienced and inconsistent side, which relies heavily on his displays as a batter. However, when it comes to ODIs, his performances have been on the rise with his average increasing from 54.17 as a batter to 78.25 as the captain of the side.

While in the T20 internationals, he has averaged 43.15, and there has been an improvement in his strike rate, with him striking at 137.4. After a great series with the bat against England in the white-ball series, Babar Azam is all set to take on the Windies challenge.

Reflecting on his role as a captain, ahead of the T20Is series, the right-hander stated that his batting displays have improved ever since he has taken the added responsibility of captaincy.

"From the time I've become captain, the margin of error is less and the expectations have also increased. I try to perform in every match. Since the time I've become captain, my performances have improved as well. I take it as a challenge. Hopefully, I can carry on and I can improve even more," Babar said, reported Cricbuzz.

Further adding on his point, he reckoned that captaincy is all about backing your players to the hilt when they are down and out.

"I think it's important to understand what is captaincy. It's all about on-field encouraging the players, when the bowlers get hit, you have to back them. Back the batsmen when the scores aren't coming."

After losing the ODI and T20I series at the hands of England, Pakistan will have a stern task on their hands against the T20 World Champions, West Indies. Babar, on the series, said that the team will look to play different combinations and he's fairly confident of the Men in Green doing well in the Caribbean, given their record.

"The aim is to play different combinations in this series and also check our bench strength. The guys have done well in PSL as well. We are going to back them. We have played some good cricket against West Indies. We have a very good record against them. We played different cricket in England. Our aim is to play fearless cricket. West Indies have been trying out different combinations. We are also going to do the same."

Pakistan will lock horns with West Indies in the T20I series opener on July 28 in Bridgetown. It will be a four-match series between both nations.