NEW DELHI: Ravichandran Ashwin recently expressed concern about the current state of Pakistan cricket, which is facing leadership instability and poor performance.
Following Pakistan’s exit from the 2023 World Cup, Babar Azam resigned as captain, causing a series of leadership changes. Shaheen Afridi briefly took over the T20I captaincy before Babar was reinstated, only to step down again.
In a viral video on social media, Ashwin described the situation as similar to a game of ‘musical chairs.’ He believes the frequent captaincy changes are affecting the team’s morale and cohesion.”I am speaking the truth when I say that the current state of Pakistan cricket and the phase they are going through makes me feel a little sorry,” Ashwin said.
He pointed out that despite having many skilled players, Pakistan’s instability is causing players to focus more on individual performance rather than the team’s success. He added, “Every cricketer will be so unstable inside the dressing room that he will start thinking about himself and will think less about the team.”
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Ashwin also noted Pakistan’s poor recent record, particularly in Test cricket, with the team not winning a home Test match in nearly three years. “In the 2023 World Cup, they lost, and then Babar resigned. Then Afridi was made captain, but Babar was reinstated for limited overs, and Shan Masood was made the Test captain. And look at the situation now – Pakistan hasn’t won a Test match at home for more than 3 years,” he stated.
Ashwin’s remarks reflect a broader concern among cricket experts about Pakistan’s ongoing leadership issues and lack of stability, which seem to be affecting their international performance.