Former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has shared his experience of working under two different coaching setups, saying that both Ottis Gibson and Mike Hesson brought distinct approaches to his development as a batter.
Speaking on a recent YouTube podcast, Babar said Gibson gave him complete freedom from the start.
“When I first met Otis Gibson, he told me very clearly that he had no specific demands from me. He said, just play your natural game, I don’t need anything else, just enjoy your cricket,” Babar said.
He added that Gibson never asked him to play in a particular way or play specific shots, instead trusting him to read situations on his own.
“In life, you will encounter different opinions from different people. It depends on you how you take them. His only message was: you know how to play, so just go and enjoy your game,” he said.
Hesson had a more structured approach, Babar said. Under him, Babar batted at different positions, including number four.
“He gives you confidence but also clearly communicates what he expects from you at a particular position,” Babar said.
Babar acknowledged that adapting to number four took time, as it was a new role for him.
“Playing at different numbers requires different mindsets. It takes time to adapt. You cannot expect to dominate immediately. Every new role requires time, but nowadays people expect instant results within a day or two. In reality, everything takes time,” he said.
Babar’s T20I career has largely been built as an opener, a role in which he accumulated the bulk of his 4,000-plus T20I runs. His move down the order under Hesson was a significant change, and by his own admission, one that he is still finding his feet in.
