Ramiz Raja Hails Babar Azam's Mental Strength During Tough Phase
In a heartfelt revelation, Pakistan's former captain and ex-PCB chairman Ramiz Raja has publicly praised star batter Babar Azam for maintaining exceptional patience and composure while facing years of intense scrutiny and personal criticism. The cricket legend expressed his admiration for how Babar handled the enormous pressure during his prolonged lean patch in international cricket.
The Emotional Cafe Meeting and Century Breakthrough
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ramiz Raja disclosed that he recently met Babar Azam at a cafe where the batsman opened up about his emotional struggles with relentless criticism. "I met him recently in a cafe and he expressed his frustration at the way he had to face criticism, personal comments over his place in the team and his performances," Ramiz revealed. The former opener, who was PCB chairman when Babar was appointed captain across formats in 2021, gave him straightforward advice: "Just continue to do what you have done, be patient and show restraint and don't react to outside noises. Because as a player your only job is to perform on the field."
The star batter finally ended his 807-day and 83-international innings century drought with a much-needed hundred against Sri Lanka in the ODI series at Rawalpindi. Ramiz expressed immense relief at seeing Babar return to form, stating he was "very happy to see him back among the runs with his century against Sri Lanka."
Ramiz's Advice on Strike Rate and Future Approach
Ramiz Raja also commended Babar's dignified silence throughout the sustained criticism period and addressed the ongoing strike rate debates surrounding the stylish right-hander. "He has all the shots and he is a treat to watch even when he defends. He shouldn't be worried about strike rates; he just needs to bat longer," Ramiz emphasized. The cricket veteran believes that Babar's technical excellence and natural stroke-playing ability make him a special player who should focus on spending more time at the crease rather than responding to external criticisms about his scoring rate.
