NEW DELHI: former Pakistan captain Babar Azam has been struggling with a significant dip in form across formats over the past year.
In Test cricket, Babar has failed to score a fifty in his last ten innings, resulting in him slipping out of the ICC Top 5 Test batters rankings. His Test average for the year is under 20, a stark decline from his earlier performances.
In ODIs, Babar's runs and average have also dropped, and Pakistan's disappointing showing in the ODI World Cup 2023, where they failed to progress beyond the group stage, further amplified criticism.
Babar's T20I numbers are relatively better but not enough to compensate for his struggles in longer formats.
Now with the Champions Trophy scheduled to be held next year, Babar Azam's form is again under scrutiny.
In a video that is doing the rounds on the internet, former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, during a talk show, shares his opinion on what Babar Azam needs to do for Champions Trophy.
Shoaib Akhtar says, "He's a star, I back him, but the thing is with the new management, new mindset, he has to change his neurological wiring because the new management will not consider him in T20s, as a matter of fact, even for the one-dayers. Otherwise the Champions Trophy is the time and the place where Babar needs to be on the forefront for Pakistan. He should dominate the tournament and needs to score three match-winning hundreds in the Champions Trophy to prove himself in the format. Otherwise, the path will be very difficult."
Babar has historically performed well in ICC tournaments, including the 2017 Champions Trophy and other major events. His ability to anchor innings and deliver under pressure has been a hallmark of his career.
Pakistan won the last edition of the Champions Trophy by defeating India in the final at The Oval on June 18, 2017.
