In the wake of Pakistan’s clean sweep loss to Australia in the T20I series, former captain and wicketkeeper Rashid Latif has advised star players Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan to be cautious when adjusting their approaches for different formats.
Latif emphasized the need for tailored strategies, citing Indian captain Rohit Sharma as a prime example of successfully reinventing his game for ODIs. According to Latif, studying Sharma’s approach could provide valuable lessons for Pakistan’s key players.
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The T20I series against Australia highlighted Pakistan’s struggles to adapt to the fast-paced demands of modern cricket. Babar, in particular, faced a challenging series, managing only 47 runs across three matches, following a disappointing ODI series where he scored just 80 runs. Rizwan, too, had a lackluster performance, contributing only 16 runs in two T20Is before being rested for the final match.
Latif acknowledged that while Babar and Rizwan have the technical ability to adapt, they must be cautious not to compromise their overall effectiveness in the long run. He pointed to Rohit Sharma’s transformation in ODIs, where he embraced a more aggressive style that played a key role in India’s success, including their run to the 2023 World Cup final.
“Rohit Sharma adapted remarkably in ODIs, altering his mindset to suit the format’s demands. His aggressive approach made a huge difference and brought India to the 2023 World Cup final,” Latif remarked in an interview.
However, Latif also cautioned against a one-size-fits-all strategy. He pointed out that while Rohit’s aggressive approach worked in ODIs, it backfired in the Test format. A recent series against New Zealand saw Rohit’s risky shot selection result in a disappointing performance, highlighting that adaptation must be format-specific.
Pakistan’s recent T20I struggles have raised concerns about the team’s adaptability to the dynamic and fast-paced nature of the format. Despite a historic ODI series win under Rizwan’s leadership, the T20 results expose a gap in strategy that needs to be addressed moving forward.
