Babar Azam hasn’t been having the best time with the bat lately, and former Pakistan captain Zaheer Abbas thinks it’s time for him to reach out to some of the older, more experienced players for advice. In an interview, Zaheer pointed out that Babar might be dealing with a bit of ego or maybe he just feels too shy to ask for help from his seniors, and that could be holding him back. Since his standout innings of 151 runs against Nepal back in August 2023, Babar has struggled to find his form and hasn’t scored a century for his national team. His rough patch is noticeable even in the current Pakistan Super League, where he’s playing for Peshawar Zalmi. So far, he’s had two innings that ended with scores of 0 and 1, which isn’t what fans expect from a player of his caliber.
Zaheer shared his thoughts, saying, I really get the feeling that Babar either has some ego issues or he’s not comfortable asking for help from the seasoned players around him. It could really make a difference. He also recalled a moment from his own past, sharing how former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin once turned to him for help when he was having a tough time with his batting. I remember back in 1989-90 on India’s tour to Pakistan, Azhar was really struggling. He came to me looking for advice. I suggested that he change his batting grip, and that made a real difference for him, helping him find his rhythm again, Zaheer explained.
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When discussing Babar’s playing style recently, Zaheer noticed that the way Babar has been getting out lately shows that he’s rushing into his shots, which isn’t good. This indicates that he’s not settling in and finding his groove at the crease. Meanwhile, another former captain, Rashid Latif, weighed in on Babar’s situation too. He pointed out that one reason Babar might be stuck is the lack of a solid mentor or batting coach in the team.
When you’re feeling the heat, you have to figure out how to get out of that tough spot, Rashid said. Babar hasn’t managed to push through it yet. It’s unfortunate because there just isn’t that guidance available in the dressing room right now. Babar needs to step up and find his way through this phase on his own. It seems like both Zaheer and Rashid are concerned about Babar’s current situation and believe a bit of support and the right mindset could help him turn things around. They’re hoping that he finds a way to get back to his best soon.
