Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam is going through a tough time in Test cricket. His poor form continued in the second match of a two-game series against Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, where he only managed to score 11 runs on Monday. This marked 616 days since Babar last scored a Test fifty, with his last half-century coming in December 2022 during the first Test against New Zealand in Karachi. Fans on social media were harsh in their criticism of Babar’s ongoing struggle.
Pakistan’s Rollercoaster Test Match
Pakistan put up 274 runs in their first innings on Day 2 of the Test match and quickly gained the upper hand by reducing Bangladesh to 26 for six within the first seven overs. However, Bangladesh staged a remarkable comeback, with Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz putting together a 165-run partnership. Bangladesh ended up with a total of 212, just 12 runs short of Pakistan’s score.
On Day 4, Pakistan, aiming to avoid a series whitewash, struggled again and found themselves at 81 for six in the first hour. Babar Azam was one of the early wickets, continuing his extended run of poor form, which has seen his Test average drop below 45.
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Teammates Stand by Babar
Despite his ongoing slump, Babar Azam, once considered a potential candidate to join the elite group of Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root, received support from his teammate, Salman Agha.
“Babar Azam is a world-class player. Every cricketer goes through phases like this. He has been a consistent performer over the last five years, and I’m confident we will see him scoring big runs for Pakistan again,” Salman said during a press conference after Day 3.
In the current series against Sri Lanka, Babar has only scored 64 runs, including a duck in the first Test, leaving him with an average of just 16 his worst in a home series.
“Every cricketer experiences these tough times. There are 10 other players in the team, and we should focus on them too. It’s okay if he’s struggling right now. He will bounce back and score big runs very soon,” Salman added.
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