LAHORE: Pakistan’s newly appointed Test captain Babar Azam on Monday shared that he tries to ignore negative comments, revealing his approach to criticism, saying he prefers to focus on constructive feedback and take suggestions that can improve his game.
Babar, who has represented Pakistan in 62 Tests, 143 ODIs and 145 T20Is since his international debut in 2015, has been one of the most consistent run-scorers for the green shirts, but has often faced criticism for his captaincy and batting approach.
As a result, the 31-year-old addressed concerns about his batting approach, sharing that he doesn’t think about himself and instead thinks about what the team needs from him.
“Whenever I go out to bat, I don’t just think about myself. I think about the responsibility and what the team needs from me,” Babar said in an exclusive interview on Straight Drive with Salman Butt.
“If I have to play quick in a Test match, I will do that. If the situation calls for defensive batting, I will play that way. My focus is always on what is best for the team,” he added.
Babur later expressed his attitude towards criticism, acknowledging that everyone is entitled to an opinion and thus accepting constructive suggestions, but not deterred by negative comments.
“Everyone has their own point of view and we can’t change that. We listen to the good stuff and if something is useful, we try to use it. Otherwise, we try to ignore the negative stuff.”