Mohammad Yousuf says he quit coaching role after disagreement over Babar Azam’s form

2026-02-20 - 06:53

LAHORE – Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf has stated that he resigned from his coaching position following disagreements over his assessment of Babar Azam’s batting form and technique. Mohammad Yousuf revealed that his resignation was not accepted initially and was only approved after he submitted it for the third time. He expressed these views in an interview. He said that during a period when Babar was struggling to score consistently, he had pointed out technical flaws in the batter’s game. According to Yousuf, Babar had not produced steady performances for nearly three years, prompting him to suggest that the star cricketer be given a break from international cricket to work on his technique at the academy. Yousuf said his recommendation was not well received within the setup and eventually led him to step down, adding that he told the management to proceed as it considered appropriate. The former captain had earlier voiced strong criticism of the state of Pakistan cricket following the team’s defeat to India in the T20 World Cup. At the time, he termed the prevailing situation one of the darkest periods in the country’s cricket history and called for an end to political interference in cricket affairs. He maintained that the ongoing circumstances were deeply concerning and stressed that individuals deemed incompetent should be removed from both administrative positions and the team. Yousuf further asserted that unless political influence and personal interests were completely eliminated, rebuilding a strong and competitive Pakistan side would remain a challenge.