Former Pakistan cricketer Zaheer Abbas believes ace batter Babar Azam must shed his ego and inhibition and seek help from senior players to regain his form. After racking up runs for fun in the first eight years of his international career, the 30-year-old has endured an alarming dip in form ever since.
Babar has not scored a century in almost two years, with his last three-figure score coming against Nepal in the 2023 Asia Cup. While his T20I numbers have remained consistent, his ODI numbers are down from his overall figures this year.
Babar averages under 35 in eight ODIs in 2025 – a near 20-run drop from his overall average of 55.17. His Test form has dipped even worse, with the batter averaging in the lower 20s in 13 matches since 2023.
In a recent interview, Abbas spoke about Babar’s form and how he can overcome the same, saying (Via Cricket Pakistan):
“I have this impression that either Babar has an ego issue or is too shy to seek advice from his seniors in overcoming his current situation. I vividly recall how former Indian batsman Azharuddin had sought guidance from me on India’s tour to Pakistan in 1989-90. He was struggling to find runs and I told him to change his batting grip. That really helped him regain confidence and improve his performance.”
He added:
“I have noticed that Babar’s dismissals of late have had him hurriedly going into his shots which clearly shows he is not finding time to adjust at the crease.”
Babar’s poor form has impacted Pakistan negatively, with the side failing to advance past the first round in the last three ICC white-ball events. They also finished at the bottom of the 2023-25 World Test Championship (WTC) standings.
“No proper mentor or batting coach in the dressing room to guide him” – Rashid Latif
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif believes the lack of a proper mentor inside the dressing room has hampered Babar Azam’s cause. The stylish batter boasts excellent overall numbers, even with the recent struggles.
Babar is Pakistan’s fifth leading run-scorer of all-time, with 14,693 runs and 31 centuries in 318 outings.
“When you’re under pressure, you need to find a way to wriggle out of the situation, but Babar has been unable to maneuver his way through. Unfortunately, there’s no proper mentor or batting coach in the dressing room to guide him. Babar needs to find a way out of the situation himself. He has to evolve,” said Latif (Via afromentioned source).
Babar is leading the Peshawar Zalmi in the ongoing 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL). His campaign has begun poorly, with scores of 0 and 1 in the first two matches.
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Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran
