'He just wanted to play as a batter' - Chaminda Vaas on why Babar Azam isn't captaining Colombo Strikers in LPL 2023

Chaminda Vaas, the esteemed bowling coach of Colombo Strikers and former Sri Lankan pacer, shed light on the reasons behind Babar Azam's absence from the captaincy position in the ongoing Lanka Premier League.

Vaas disclosed that Babar had conveyed his desire to concentrate solely on his batting prowess, and the team management graciously accepted his decision. Consequently, the mantle of captaincy was bestowed upon Niroshan Dickwella.

“Babar wanted to play just as a batter and we respected his decision. Niroshan Dickwella is our captain. If you take Babar Azam, we all know that he’s the number one batter in the world and the way he performs and contributes to the team is amazing,” Vaas said In a conversation with The Hindustan Times.

Vaas firmly believes that Azam's presence within the squad presents a magnificent learning opportunity for the budding cricketers, who stand to gain immensely by observing and playing alongside such an eminent talent.

“All the youngsters can learn so much from him. I’m so excited to see him play in the Lanka Premier League. Apart from him, there is Naseem Shah. A top bowler in the world, and working with him alongside (Matheesha) Pathirana is great,” he added.

Babar's resolute innings of 59 runs from 52 deliveries earned him the title of Player of the Match as Colombo Strikers secured their maiden victory in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) 2023 by defeating B-Love Kandy by 27 runs on Monday.

Inspired by Babar's remarkable batting display, skipper Niroshan Dickwella gave an invigorating post-match pep talk to the entire team, using Babar's innings as an example for others to emulate. Dickwella urged his teammates to draw motivation from the seasoned batter's unwavering spirit, especially in challenging circumstances, which ultimately paved the way for the team's triumph.

“Learn from the best. He didn’t give up. It was not easy to bat on that wicket and he was there till the end. That inning gave us a good score,” Dickwella said.