Latif cautions Babar, Rizwan

After Pakistan's recent clean sweep T20I series defeat to Australia, former wicketkeeper Rashid Latif has drawn comparisons between Rohit Sharma's adaptive batting approach and the current struggles of Pakistan's top-order duo, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan.

The loss in the T20I series exposed significant concerns for Pakistan's batting lineup, particularly in adapting to the fast-evolving demands of modern T20 cricket. Australia made history by becoming the first team to secure seven consecutive T20I victories over Pakistan, with the hosts now leading the head-to-head record 14-13.

Latif acknowledged the success of Indian captain Rohit Sharma in adapting his batting approach, particularly in the 50-over format. The former Pakistan cricketer praised Rohit's mindset change in ODIs, which saw India reach the 2023 World Cup final, transforming himself into a more aggressive and dynamic player.

"Rohit Sharma in one-day cricket was able to adapt very well. He changed the mindset in ODIs and it worked out very well. They reached the finals during the 2023 World Cup in India. He seemed like a different player," Latif remarked in an exclusive interview with Arvind Kalyana Krishnan, as quoted by CricBlog.

"As for T20Is, all of them can play like this, but playing like this in ODIs is very hard. So a lot of credit must go to Rohit Sharma and the way he has brought about a change in ODIs for India. The way he changed everything in the entire Indian team."

However, the former captain also noted that the Indian captain's aggressive style failed to translate to success in the Test format. During India's recent Test defeat to New Zealand, Rohit's aggressive approach backfired. He pointed out that despite having a strong defense, Rohit was dismissed while attempting a risky cross-shot, underscoring the importance of format-specific strategies.

"That same style backfired in Tests and it massively flopped in Tests. I think he scored a 50 in one match and was dismissed by a fast bowler only. Although, there weren't many fast bowlers. Despite having a good defense, he got out while trying to hit a shot, a cross-shot if I'm not wrong," he said.

Pakistan's main concern during the Australia series was the form of captain Babar Azam, who managed just 47 runs across three T20Is, following a subpar ODI series in which he scored only 80 runs. Similarly, Mohammad Rizwan's impact was limited, with only 16 runs in his two appearances before being rested for the final match.

Despite leading Pakistan to a historic ODI series victory under Rizwan's leadership, the T20I performance has raised concerns about the team's ability to adjust to the fast-paced requirements of modern T20 cricket. The 56-year-old stressed that players like Babar and Rizwan can adapt their game but must be careful not to overdo it, which could result in unintended consequences.

"They can change their game, but it will affect a lot of things. Now, you've spoken about Rohit Sharma, so see, Rohit Sharma wanted to play the same way in Tests; he wanted the aggressive approach. However, it flopped. His style flopped in Tests and this led to a 3-0 loss against New Zealand, something that was unimaginable. So one must think about how to play each format," he concluded.