Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag has expressed his confidence in star batter Babar Azam’s ability to bounce back from a recent slump in form. Sehwag believes that Babar's struggles stem more from mental challenges than technical flaws in his game.
Babar was recently omitted from Pakistan's squad for the second and third Tests against England, a significant decision made by the newly formed selection panel, which aims to rejuvenate the team’s performance. The star batsman's recent form has been concerning, as he has not crossed the fifty-run mark in his last 18 Test innings, leading to widespread criticism and ultimately his exclusion from the team.
Speaking on Shoaib Akhtar's YouTube channel, Sehwag advised Babar to focus on the basics and return to domestic cricket to regain his confidence. "Babar Azam should play domestic cricket now. He should work on his fitness, he should spend some time with family, then come back to international cricket as a physically fitter and mentally stronger player."
The former Indian opener emphasized the importance of mental resilience during this challenging period, noting that Babar has been impacted more psychologically than technically.
"With expectations from Babar decreasing and his resignation from captaincy, it seems he has been more impacted mentally than in terms of technique. He needs to stay mentally strong. He's a talented player, and players like him tend to bounce back quickly," he said.
Babar's performance in recent matches has been lackluster, highlighted by his scores of just 64 runs in 2 Tests at an average of 16 against Bangladesh, contributing to Pakistan's shocking series defeat at home. In the first Test against England, Babar managed only 30 and 5 runs before being dropped, prompting the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to conclude that a break was necessary for him to regain his form.
The upcoming white-ball series against Australia, featuring three ODIs and three T20Is, presents a crucial opportunity for Babar Azam to reclaim his form in the shorter formats after facing back-to-back setbacks in Test cricket.
ODI series schedule:
T20I series schedule: