Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yusuf has urged star batter Babar Azam to travel to either England or Australia and work with specialist coaches in order to address key areas of his batting following a series of poor outings in the recently concluded ODI tri-series at home. The highly talented Babar has endured tough periods in recent times, and a massive slump in his form was incredibly concerning during the tri-series that also involved England and Sri Lanka, where he managed only 118 runs across five innings at an average of 23.60 and a strike rate of 74.21.
More worryingly, Babar came under immense criticism in the final of the tri-series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Lahore on Saturday after he was gone for a duck, making no sufficient contribution in the big clash. Though Pakistan went on to win the match following a splendid century from Fakhar Zaman, Babar’s relentless struggle with the bat didn’t go unnoticed.
“I don't think Babar Azam should be playing first class cricket until he fixes his technical issues through specialized coaching. Struggling in domestic cricket could further harm his confidence and career. Send him to an academy in England or Australia,” Yousuf wrote on X.
In the last three years, Babar has only been able to score a century. However, Yusuf believed that with the right guidance, Babar will be able to find his best form back.
“He is still Pakistan's top player, and with the right guidance and a little effort, he can return to his best. I said this four years ago, and nobody listened. Please listen now,” he added.
Meanwhile, Babar is likely to be part of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, where he is scheduled to play for Lahore Whites against Shaheen's FATA side on November 3 in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. That domestic outing will give him a much-needed preparation time because he is also scheduled to lead Pakistan in the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka, starting on November 9.