"Babar is a leader in our dressing room," says Shan Masood

Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood commended the leadership qualities of former red-ball skipper Babar Azam, saying "He is a leader in our dressing room.

The 34-year-old batter made the remarks while talking to the Australian sports channel, Sen Cricket.

When asked about Babar Azam's role in the dressing room and whether he has adjusted to the life of the former captain, Masood said, "I think he's been brilliant. He is a world-class player, and we are really glad that he's on our side. He has done well in Australia in the past in any of the formats, and we are really excited to see what he does over here."

"As I said, the title of a captain doesn't make you a leader. You still are the leader, and we want to have a lot of leaders in this dressing room. We also want to get youngsters to speak up, to be confident, and sort of be leaders. There shouldn't be any age limit or any experience limit," the skipper added.

Masood affirmed that Babar Azam is a leader in Green Shirts' dressing room, and they value his contributions in any capacity.

"Babar is a leader in our dressing room, and we like him contributing in any way possible."

In November last month, the 28-year-old right-handed batter resigned as captain across all formats following months of criticism over the team's lackluster performance, particularly in the Asia Cup 2023 and the World Cup 2023. 

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed Shan Masood as the Test captain, while Shaheen Shah Afridi took charge of leading the T20 format of the national team.

Pakistan are currently in Australia for a three-match test series.

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