 "Babar Azam scored 23 runs before getting out in the first innings against South Africa. Image: Reuters")
Pakistan batter Babar Azam’s poor run in Test cricket continued on Sunday as he was dismissed for just 23 in the first innings of the opening Test against South Africa at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. The former captain has now gone 34 months without scoring a fifty at home, a streak dating back to the 2022/23 series against New Zealand.
Babar slammed for avoiding domestic cricket
Babar has managed only 232 runs at an average of 16.58 in 14 innings at home during this period. Amid the worrying stats, former Pakistan batter Salman Butt criticised Babar on his YouTube channel, questioning why he avoids playing domestic cricket. Butt said Babar’s current poor form is partly due to lack of match practice.
“Babar does not even want to play first-class matches. That rustiness was evident. The players who played first-class came and scored runs. So why didn’t Babar play? The first over that he played today, he looked so vulnerable. It seemed like he would get out any time. It’s okay, he is a big player, and people love him, but you have to play domestic cricket. You can’t escape that. And you are not above that,” Butt said.
Butt also mentioned that Babar had the chance to play in the Hanif Mohammad Trophy, a domestic four-day tournament, to get back into rhythm for red-ball cricket. He added that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) would likely have allowed him special permission to appear in those matches.
“I feel he lets these opportunities slip away. The Hanif Mohammad Trophy was going on, and he could have gotten a special allowance from the PCB and played those matches. Why didn’t he? Babar, with all the support he has, also has himself to blame. Are you not going to help yourself, or are you so reliant on social media?” he added.
Former India captain Virat Kohli also received similar advice during his own Test slump over the past couple of years. He was asked to go back to domestic cricket, which the India star had avoided since 2013. Kohli did return to Ranji Trophy for a single game earlier this year after a poor Australia tour, but he later announced Test retirement in a shocking move.