‘Captaincy does matter’ – Ex-Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir rips apart Babar Azam’s captaincy after team’s World Cup exit, namedrops MS Dhoni

Despite a below-par performance in the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023, the Pakistan Cricket Team received a warm welcome at home. Losing five out of nine games, Pakistan had the worst World Cup campaign in the last decade. Skipper Babar Azam continues to receive a lot of criticism for his poor leadership at the marquee event.

Despite getting a homely welcome in Karachi, Babar has to face scorching comments from former cricketers and cricket experts. However, former Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ramiz Raza has supported Babar and has demanded a change in the system instead of a captain. His comments didn’t go well with many, including former pacer Mohammed Amir.

Amir slammed both Babar and Raza for blaming the system instead of the leadership group. While speaking with Geo News, he said that this system won us the Champions Trophy in 2017. “Captaincy does matter. What is the system? It is not a wall. Five and six people have been given the responsibility to run Pakistan cricket. A captain is also one of them”, says Amir.

“In 1992, under Imran Khan, we won the World Cup; the system was the same. In 1999, our team was a world-beater and reached the finals. We won the 2009 T20 World Cup with the same system, and we won the 2017 Champions Trophy under the same system,” said Amir. “Babar has been captain for the past four years. He has built his team on his own. Buttler is not part of our system; then why did England play so badly? Does the system in England also need a makeover?”, he further added.

“MS Dhoni has given them the team”, says Mohammed Amir

Further explaining his point, he said, “After the 2015 debacle, Morgan said I want to play this brand of cricket; I want these 25 players. The system remained the same; it was the captain who changed his mindset. England were struggling in Test cricket for two years. Joe Root was the captain. The system is the same, but we say England’s Test cricket has changed. It was Ben Stokes who changed his approach.”

Seeking to illustrate the significance of a skilled captain, Amir highlighted the legendary MS Dhoni and his pivotal role in the evolution of Ravindra Jadeja into a prominent all-rounder across various cricket formats. He said, “We say Dhoni changed India’s cricket, but he never changed the system. People kept asking, For how long will he keep giving Jadeja and Ashwin chances? And now we say Jadeja is the world’s best all-rounder. MS Dhoni has given them the team.”