'Captaincy doesn't sit well': Ricky Ponting's firm verdict on Babar Azam as the skipper of Pakistan

Ricky Ponting, the legendary Australian cricketer, has offered his candid assessment of Babar Azam's performance as the captain of the Pakistan cricket team. In an interview with the International Cricket Council (ICC), Ponting expressed his belief that captaincy might not be the best fit for Babar Azam, citing a decline in his individual performance since taking on the role.

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Ricky Ponting assesses Babar Azam's captaincy

Ponting highlighted the impact of captaincy on a player's performance, noting that while some individuals thrive in leadership positions, others struggle to maintain their form on the field. He pointed out that Babar Azam's statistics have shown a decrease since assuming the captaincy, indicating that he may not be entirely comfortable in the role.

"Captaincy just sits well with some people and it doesn't sit well with others. We've seen it through the years that some of the best players that have ever played the game have not necessarily made the best captains, and the thing that makes some of the very best players so good is how focused they are on what they need to do to get better and to be the best and find a way every day to get better," Ponting told ICC.

The former Australian skipper emphasized that not every great player makes a great captain, attributing this to the intense focus required to excel both as a player and as a leader. He suggested that some players are better suited to concentrating solely on their individual performance rather than shouldering the additional responsibilities of captaincy.

"So some guys can manage that better than others. I reckon Babar, when he first started, I had that feeling that he... because if you look at his record, his numbers went down on the back of it. So I think he might have learned a bit from that."

Reflecting on his observations of Babar Azam's journey as captain, Ponting hinted at a learning curve for the cricketer, expressing hope that he has gained valuable insights from his experiences. While acknowledging that some players adapt more naturally to captaincy, Ponting's remarks underscored the complexity of leadership roles in cricket and the importance of finding the right balance between individual performance and team leadership.