Struggling to maintain success across multiple formats, speculation arises concerning the future direction of Babar Azam's cricket career.
Revamped Article:
Cricket's golden boy, Babar Azam, finds himself in a pickle, grappling with both form and significance. Naman Agarwal takes a closer look at how a career that once sparkled with promise has hit rock bottom and discusses potential avenues to recovery.
Nowadays, Babar Azam - once lauded as the crown prince of Pakistani cricket - finds himself at the receiving end of scathing criticism. The ensuing discussion delves into the factors that have driven a gifted batsman, hailed by many as Pakistan's best, to the brink of insignificance.
In early 2025, Babar was bestowed the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy - an honor reserved for cricket's standout performer of the previous year. Fast forward two years, and his career, across all formats, hangs precariously in the balance: his form, consistency, and legacy lie in tatters.
In the past 12 months, Babar has experienced a drastic decline. He led Pakistan to an embarrassingly low T20 World Cup campaign, was dropped from the Test side, lost his ODI batting tempo, and struggled in the ongoing PSL season. In his first six PSL 2025 innings, Babar managed a mere 117 runs at an abysmal average of 23.40 and a striking rate of 117, marking him one of the tournament's weakest performers in those categories.
Previously, Babar was considered as the fifth member of Pakistan cricket's Fab Five, surely no small feat. But, what led to the fall from grace of the nation's poster boy?
2019-2021: A different era
Upon making his international debut as a 21-year-old in 2015, Babar lived up to the hype early on. Rather than being found out soon into his career, Babar, equipped with a clean, no-nonsense approach, proved he had staying power. From an average of 23.75 after his initial 11 Tests, he lifted his Test average to a peak of 49.25 following the Boxing Day Test against New Zealand in 2022.
During the four-year span from 2019 to 2021, Babar put up straightforward numbers: he averaged 59 in Tests, with a 50-plus score every other innings. In ODIs, he logged 2,397 runs, ranking second to Shai Hope's 2,646 total runs, delivered in 20 fewer knocks. As Virat Kohli averaged 48 in ODIs in this period, Babar stunned the world with a staggering average of 70. Even in T20Is, Babar ranked behind teammate Mohammad Rizwan and third among the highest run-scorers of the period, due in no small part to his 2,324 runs and jaw-dropping strike rate of 129.
Spanning three formats, Babar tallied 7,275 runs in this period. No other player logged 6,000. Babar's 19 tons topped the count by three, making him a force to be reckoned with.
His dominance was far from fleeting or ordinary: it spanned years and formats. As the original Fab Four began nearing retirement (barring Root, who was reaching new heights in Tests), Babar was on the rise. There was a new king in town.
Mid-2023: The descent begins
The 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia served as a rare interruption. Babar managed only 123 runs at a strike rate of 93, but his team's run to the final masked his personal shortcomings. He rebounded with a successful home season, logging two Test tons and one in ODIs and T20Is.
Pakistan began their 2023-2025 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle in Sri Lanka in July, aiming to do better after finishing fifth and seventh in the inaugural two cycles. The Asia Cup and the World Cup were to follow later that year. By this point, Babar was firmly established as captain and arguably the best batter in world cricket, prompting high hopes all around.
Perhaps expectations were set too high?
The Sri Lanka Tests saw minimal returns for Babar, netting 76 runs at an average of 25.33. The Afghanistan ODIs that preceded the Asia Cup saw him struggle to get into a rhythm, striking at 72.90. In the Asia Cup, his output dwindled to just 56 runs at an abysmal average of 18.67.
As Pakistan entered the ODI World Cup in India with Babar's runs drying up at an inopportune time, many began to question his capabilities. He scored a mere 320 runs at 40 across the tournament, failing to shine with his performances. Compared to his fellow high-scorers, only two had a lower strike rate than his 82.90. With Pakistan enduring a disastrous campaign, losing to Afghanistan and failing to qualify for the semi-finals, the heat was on Babar, eventually leading to his resignation.
Over the next year, Pakistan underwent a coaching carousel, employing new leadership while Babar was reinstated as the white-ball captain after a brief stint away from the role. A horrendous two-tour stint in North America ensued, resulting in Babar's second resignation within a year. Despite logging the second-most runs in the USA leg of the tournament, Babar's contributions left his team high and dry.
Late 2024: The final blow
In the wake of his 161 against New Zealand in the Boxing Day Test in 2022, Babar experienced a 12-test batting drought across the 2023/24 season. When Bangladesh toured Pakistan in August, Babar's quest for a comeback took a nail-biting turn for the worse: four innings, 64 runs, and a highest score of 31. Another poor outing in the first Test against England drew the ire of critics.
In a dramatic move, Babar - the country's premier batting talent who had led the world not long ago - was unceremoniously dropped from the Test team. Big-name cutbacks are a rarity in the subcontinent, but critics maintain that Babar has failed to deliver the goods despite ample opportunities.
Dropped or not, Babar is still Pakistan's best batter, albeit no longer deserving of a spot on the Test team. But as critics quick to point out, Pakistan fared better without him.
In this period, Babar's Test average dropped from 49.25 to 43.55. To make matters worse, he struggled against spin, with his average plummeting from 60 before 2023 to 25.55 since. And while his T20 strike rate has risen from 127.5 to 134.9, the increase pales in comparison to today's T20 batting norms. Nine of his 24 50-plus scores since 2023 have resulted in defeats for his team. Only James Vince has more 50-plus scores in losing causes over the same period (11).
Also read: Babar Azam isn't quite back in form, his strike rotation issues still hold him back
Are poor form or deeper issues at play?
At his best, Babar dominated the ODI format like few others, mastering its unique tempo. In Tests, Babar plundered runs for fun at home, averaging 75 by the end of 2022, and turned heads across tougher tours away. When it came to T20s, Babar's combination of touch and timing compensated for a lack of brute power.
However, Babar's game, particularly when facing spin, has shown signs of stagnating over the past couple of years. Since 2023, Babar averages 16.25 from six home Tests, lagging behind Shaheen Afridi. In ODIs and T20Is, his average and strike rate against spin have plummeted from 83.9 and 89.6 to 47.4 and 77.7, respectively.
These trends suggest a deep-rooted problem, especially considering the decline in Babar's Test returns, where there's no pressure to hit boundaries. The revolving door of coaches in the Pakistan setup also complicates matters, making it challenging to isolate and address potential technical issues.
Also read: Babar Azam needs more than just runs - he needs a change of mindset
Where does Babar go from here?
Every athlete's career weaves a tale of triumphs and tribulations. What sets the elite apart is their ability to transform a downward spiral into an upward trajectory.
Babar is currently 30, the age where batters are typically in their prime. But his recent high - a significant uptick in form lasting just a brief spell - has petered out, replaced by a two-year-long slump that shows no signs of abating. It remains to be seen whether Babar can still scale the heights he once promised to conquer.
Sources:
- "Babar Azam's lackluster run in PSL 2025: Is the glory days gone?" - Cricinfo
- "Press Conferences: Babar Azam's Brief but Tense Exchange" - The News International
- "Babar Azam's Strike Rate Matters More Than Rising Run Count" - Tribune India
- "Ending the Babar Azam saga: Has he failed Pakistan cricket?" - Dawn
- "Babar Azam: The Abusive Captain Who Stole Pakistan's Thunder" - Rediff.com
Following a stellar career in the past, Babar Azam, the Pakistani cricketer, is grappling with both form and significance in recent times. The ongoing PSL 2025 season has been particularly unkind to him, as he has managed a mere 117 runs at an average of 23.40, marking him as one of the tournament's weakest performers.
In contrast, from 2019 to 2021, Babar had an impressive run, averaging 59 in Tests and 70 in ODIs, leaving critics hailing him as one of the best batsmen in the world across multiple formats.
Despite his declining performances, Babar is still considered Pakistan's best cricketer, but concerns have been raised about the factors that have led to his fall from grace.
As Pakistan gears up for the international cricket season, the focus will be on Babar's ability to overcome his current struggles and regain his position as a standout performer in world cricket.
