Ravichandran Ashwin slams ‘musical chairs’ between Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam due to Pakistan’s sudden leadership changes

New Delhi: Pakistan cricket is currently navigating a challenging period, characterized by a string of unexpected defeats and ongoing leadership upheaval. The team’s recent 2-0 loss to Bangladesh in a home Test series has marked a significant low, as it is the first time Bangladesh has triumphed over Pakistan in a Test series. Additionally, under Babar Azam’s captaincy, the team faced a stunning defeat to hosts the United States in the T20 World Cup, followed by a loss to India, resulting in their elimination from the group stage.

These latest losses have, therefore, become shocks for the fans’ expectations as well as debates over increased disappointment in the dressing room. Stories of internal politics and uncertainty behind the dual roles of the captain further fuel uncertainty and make the team unpredictable, casting a cloud on the future performance of such teams.

Pakistan cricket has experienced a ‘musical chairs’ scenario in leadership, with frequent changes in recent times. Following Pakistan’s exit from the 2023 World Cup, former captain Babar Azam resigned from the limited-overs captaincy. Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi briefly took over the T20I leadership but was soon replaced by Babar, only for Babar to step down again earlier this month, highlighting the ongoing turmoil within the team’s management.

The domestic red-ball cricket by Pakistan has been disastrous with their team not winning a test on home soil for almost three years-a statistic that speaks of a real shabby situation. Ravichandran Ashwin, India’s frontline spinner who had led the country to back-to-back series wins against Bangladesh and won the Player of the Series award, presented his views about the current instability in Pakistan cricket.

In a widely shared video, Ashwin commented that the frequent changes in captaincy have created confusion within the team, leading players to concentrate more on their individual performances instead of prioritizing the collective success of the side.

“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. Because some of the most exceptional cricketers have played for Pakistan, and it was such a great team. If you look at it from a cricketer’s perspective, this is a proud cricketing nation. And where are they lacking in skill? They have so many skilled players,” Ashwin said.

“And sometimes, their whole musical chairs situation is truly something. The music keeps playing, and they just think about grabbing a chair; that’s how it feels. In the 2023 World Cup, they lost, and then Babar (Azam) resigned. Then (Shaheen) 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. I mean, they haven’t won a Test match for a long time, maybe around 1000 days. It’s been almost 3 years,” said Ashwin.

Ashwin emphasized that the unpredictability surrounding the Pakistan cricket setup compels players to concentrate more on their individual performances rather than prioritizing the team’s collective success.

“What would I think as a cricketer? Should I focus on my game or on the team? Every cricketer will be so unstable inside the dressing room that he will start thinking about himself and will think less about the team,” said Ashwin.

The only leadership on this side now is from Shan Masood since he was appointed as Test captain last year. He will lead the Pakistani team in this three-test series against England, who begin their tour in Multan.