Umar Gul, who recently took on the role of Pakistan’s interim bowling coach for the Afghanistan and New Zealand series, praised the commanding leadership of captain Babar Azam and highlighted his relentless pursuit of success for the national team.

In an exclusive interview with Cricket Pakistan, Gul shared his observations and commended Babar’s dominant presence, particularly evident during the recently concluded New Zealand series.

Gul emphasized the importance of a dominant captain who leads with authority, and he pointed out that Babar’s exceptional performance as skipper solidifies his position. According to Gul, Babar should maintain this dominance as it holds him accountable for the team’s success.

“Having closely observed Babar Azam during the New Zealand series, it is clear that he is a dominant force, relentlessly striving for his team’s success. His authority as a leader is evident through his performances against the Blackcaps,” Gul said.

“As a captain, when you are dominant and your team performs exceptionally well, there is no doubt that you can be considered a dominant captain. If Babar continues to lead the team, he should maintain that dominance. Entrusting him with the responsibility of the fifteen-member squad or the playing XI makes him accountable. He should indeed be dominant because a leader’s duty is to lead from the front, perform for the team, extract the required performances from the players, and take care of them both on and off the field,” he added.

While Gul acknowledged Babar’s current dominance, he also highlighted that there is always room for improvement. He recognized that becoming a good captain is a learning process that every player has to go through.

“It’s a positive sign that Babar should be dominant, but there are still areas where he can improve. No player joins the team and immediately becomes a good captain. It’s always a learning process, and every player must go through it. At present, I believe Babar Azam has total control over the team,” he concluded.