Babar Azam is arguably Pakistan’s best batter of the past decade, however, he has been under fire lately by fans and cricket legends alike. Recently, legendary Pakistan batter Zaheer Abbas has stepped into the conversation, demanding that Babar be dropped from the team due to his recent dip in form.
Babar’s Struggles in Red-Ball Cricket
Babar has been a run machine for Pakistan since his debut in 2015, but his recent Test form has been questionable. His low point came during the two-match home series against Bangladesh, where he could only scrape together 64 runs across four innings..
To add to his woes, Babar has dropped out of the top 10 in the ICC Test Batting Rankings—a place where he once belonged comfortably.
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It’s been 16 innings since he crossed 50-run mark in red-ball cricket. His last big knock in Test cricket was way back in December 2022 when he smashed 161 against New Zealand.
Zaheer Abbas Calls For Babar’s Removal
Zaheer Abbas, known as the “Asian Bradman” for his prolific batting, didn’t mince words during a recent sports talk show in the UAE. When asked about Babar’s form, Abbas bluntly called for him to be dropped.
“Babar Azam should be dropped from the team,” Abbas said. “If he’s not scoring runs, because if he’s our main batsman and he’s out of form, he should be out of the team.”
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The Babar vs. Kohli Debate: Is It Even Worth It?
One of the most talked-about comparisons in cricket is the constant back-and-forth between Babar Azam and India’s Virat Kohli.
Both are technically brilliant and have been match-winners for their respective teams, leading to the comparisons. But according to Zaheer Abbas, these comparisons don’t make much sense right now.
“The comparisons are pointless,” Abbas said. “Virat Kohli scores in every match, the other player [Babar Azam] doesn’t score in any match, so then how can you compare? The person who scores, he is the bigger player.”
Despite all the criticism, the Pakistan team management seems to have Babar’s back, at least for now. He’s been named in the squad for the upcoming Test series against England, which kicks off on October 7 in Multan.
The real question? Can Babar bounce back and prove his critics wrong—Zaheer Abbas included?
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