"Now Babar's time will come as the pressure of captaincy is off" - Former Pakistan captain predicts ace batter to return to top batting form

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif believes ace batter Babar Azam will return to top form with the bat with the burden of captaincy off his shoulders. Babar stepped down from captaincy for a second time in 10 months earlier this week.

The 29-year-old relinquished captaincy across formats after last year's dismal ODI World Cup campaign. However, the management made him skipper again for the white-ball formats earlier this year.

Pakistan under Babar hit rockbottom by losing to minnows USA and bowlng out after the first round of the 2024 T20 World Cup. He has also struggled for form with the bat, averaging under 34 in 22 outings across formats this year.

In a video on his X handle, Latif said:

"He (Babar) understood late but rightly in the end. Mohammad Amir, Azam (Khan) and Imad Wasim have always kept you on your toes, played the World Cup (T20) as they wanted to. Now they are gone. Now Babar's time will come as they pressure of captaincy if off. "

Despite the recent struggles, Babar enjoyed an impressive overall record as captain across formats, winning 84 and losing 50 out of 148 games.

Pakistan made the final and semi-final of the 2022 and 2021 T20 World Cup under his captaincy.

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"That's why I will advice Rizwan, no way" - Rashid Latif on Pakistan's next white-ball captain

Pakistan v Canada - ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup West Indies & USA 2024 - Source: Getty

While Mohammad Rizwan has been touted to become Pakistan's next white-ball captain, Rashid Latif advised the wicketkeeper-batter against taking up the role.

Rizwan has led Pakistan twice earlier in Tests and suffered defeats both times in the 2020-21 tour of New Zealand.

"A lot of things got damaged by him (Babar), two World Cups went by. He wanted captaincy at the wrong time. That's why I will advise Rizwan, no way (don't become captain). Give others a chance. You didn't get captaincy at a time you should have got it," said Latif.

Latif also mentioned a few names he felt could lead Pakistan's white-ball sides.

"Shadab (Khan) is a good candidate, Haris (Rauf) is a good candidate, Salman Ali Agha.. Let's see how it goes moving forward," he said.

Pakistan are set to continue with Shan Masood as Test captain even as he suffered defeats in all of his first five games. Their next white-ball assignment is the three ODIs and T20Is in Australia, starting November 4.