Peshawar Zalmi’s captain, Babar Azam, seems to be taking cues from former West Indies cricketer and Zalmi’s coach, Daren Sammy as he leads his team in the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine.
Speaking in a post-match presser, Sammy emphasized the importance of synchronization between the captain and the coach during matches. Reflecting on his own leadership style, Sammy highlighted the necessity for constant communication between the captain and the coach, drawing parallels with other sports like American football and basketball, where coaches play an active role during games.
“When I was captain my strategy was, every five overs just run off the field and make sure what I am doing outside is in sync with what the coach is thinking. We just seem to forget that in every sport NFL, NBA, you watch the American football, the coach and the captain have a very good relationship even while the game is going you watch the NBA’s big stars LeBron James but the coaches are calling the play so why is it in cricket you must just leave the captain out there all by himself? I dont believe in that. Even when I was captain as successful as I was, it was never myself,” Sammy said.
Sammy also stressed the significance of trusting one’s gut feeling and maintaining synergy between the captain and the coach.
“I like to make sure whatever I am doing out there is in sync with what the coach is saying because they see the game from a different point so again I would always impact my knowledge to the captain,” he further added.
Sammy expressed admiration for Babar Azam, praising his leadership qualities and acknowledging the trust they share. He credited their partnership for Zalmi’s improvement in performance compared to previous seasons.
“The beautiful thing about Babar is that he is an amazing human being. Despite all their achievements he gotten, he trust my leadership just like I trust his and it’s been a really good partnership for Peshawar Zalmi. We have improved from last year. So, I don’t think so there’s anything scripted,” Sammy said.
While Sammy emphasized the importance of collaboration between the captain and coach, he also emphasized the autonomy of the captain to make decisions based on their instincts and understanding of the game.
“If the first thing I told Babar when he came here was to, as a leader, you must always be able to trust your gut feeling. There have been times that I might send a message, his job is to listen and understand and see how best it could impact the game, whether he takes it or not, I am fine with whatever decision he takes out there. I still believe that the captain and the coach must have some synergy between them,” he concluded.
