Former head coach Pakistan Jason Gillespie said he did not consider Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan as selfish in terms of their style of playing. Gillespia worked with the duo during his short time with a Pakistani cricket. However, Babar and Rizwan were very criticized for being slowly with their launchEspecially in T20is.
It seemed that both men dropped the T20i on the New Zealand tour when the Pakistanic cricket decision to walk in another way with the World Cup T20 2026. When he spoke to Pakassion.net, Gillespia was asked if older players were pressure on young people.
Former Pakistani coach said it looked from the outside, but said Babar and Rizwan are players who are very oriented to team.
“Certainly yes, please do not write that I am talking about someone like Babar or Rizwan because I am not. I certainly don’t think there is some selfishness in their games.”
“I personally, in my short time with Pakistan, I found that the boys are very oriented to the team,” Gillespia said.
Gillespia said he felt that sometimes players in Pakistan feel uncertain about their place and have to do something to keep their place in the team.
“You know, they definitely don’t aim at them, but for a while, because I came a little and out of the team. Sometimes players get into the mentality that I have to stay here and don’t want to lose my place again.”
“So maybe it’s the nature of a Pakistani cricket, unfortunately that players don’t feel safe enough in their team’s places, they feel they just have to play for themselves to make sure they pick them next time,” Gillespia said.
Bold Call and Drop Babar and Rizwan by T20i
When he spoke of the fall of Babar and Rizwan by the T20i, Gillespia said it was bold and interesting, because Pakistan knew exactly what they would get from them.
“I think it’s interesting that? You know what we saw in cricket T20. They put some really good performances. I think there have sometimes been a little criticized from certain parts.”
“Serious situations, they are extremely experienced crickets, and there is a reason why they play a certain way based on what they see there because you want to trust players to go there.”
“Play the game and adjust and adapt your game to conditions, scenario, situation, but it’s a courageous challenge to skip two quality players like Babar and Rizwan, I suppose,” Gillespie said.
Published on:
April 20, 2025
