Robin Uthappa claims Babar Azam's mental strength is lacking compared to Virat Kohli
Former India batter Robin Uthappa has suggested that Pakistan captain Babar Azam's recent struggles are partly due to his lack of mental resilience, which he believes is a result of the relentless online criticism and disrespect he faces.
Speaking ahead of Pakistan's Test against the West Indies, Uthappa argued that Babar's usual response to hate has been to try and prove people wrong through performance, rather than tuning out the noise entirely and focusing purely on what works for him individually. "I think Babar's situation, I wouldn't even call it a downfall, as in I'd say his whole situation, is largely impacted by social media hate and social media abuse," he said.
Uthappa pointed to online abuse from multiple directions, including backlash from within Pakistan, added scrutiny from Indian fans, and instances of disrespect from fellow cricketers even at global events like the Big Bash League. He argued that this level of sustained hostility would inevitably affect anyone's mindset, shaping how a player reacts not just to failure but to success as well.
Babar has stepped back into the Test captaincy role after the selection committee removed Shan Masood from the position due to a dismal run. Pakistan's recent performances have been poor, with just four wins from sixteen matches under Masood's captaincy. The decision to replace Masood with Babar had been building for a while, and Pakistan now begin a new chapter under his leadership.
Uthappa compared Babar's situation to that of Indian legends like Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Inzamam-ul-Haq, who he believes were able to shut out external distractions and focus on their game. "I think that's something that Virat's been able to do, Sachin Tendulkar's been able to do, Rahul Dravid's been able to do, a lot of the greats, Inzamam-ul-Haq's been able to do," he said.
Pakistan's Test against the West Indies is scheduled for July 25, and Babar will be under the spotlight as he returns to the captaincy role. Uthappa's comments have raised questions about the impact of online abuse on a player's mental resilience, and whether Babar's struggles are partly due to his inability to deal with the noise.
The Pakistan team has struggled collectively for a while now, and Babar's leadership will be crucial in getting them back on track. As Pakistan begin a new chapter under Babar's leadership, the question remains whether he will be able to shut out the external noise and focus on what works for him individually.
Source: Yahoo Sports