Salman Ali Agha defends Babar Azam amid batting struggles in Rawalpindi Test

Pakistan all-rounder Salman Ali Agha has supported former Test captain Babar Azam, who has struggled with his batting form recently. Babar’s difficulties continued in the second Test against Bangladesh, where he scored 31 runs before being dismissed by Shakib Al Hasan. This innings marks the 15th consecutive time Babar has failed to reach fifty in Tests.

Babar’s slump has seen him drop six places in the ICC Test batters' rankings, and pressure is mounting on him regarding his approach and performance. Despite the criticism, Agha has defended Babar, emphasizing that such phases are common for cricketers. He reminded critics of Babar's achievements over the past five years and suggested that attention should also be given to other players in the team.

"Babar Azam is a world-class player. As a batsman, you go through these phases. There are 10 other players in the team too," Agha said.

In the ongoing Test, Bangladesh’s off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz delivered a remarkable performance by taking 5 wickets for 61 runs, helping dismiss Pakistan for 274. This five-wicket haul is Miraz’s tenth in Test cricket. Taskin Ahmed also made an impact with his return from injury, claiming 3 wickets for 57 runs.

However, Bangladesh's fielding was less than stellar, with at least four dropped catches allowing Pakistan to post a substantial total. One key missed chance was a catch by Saud Shakeel off Shadman Islam, which could have altered the game’s dynamics.

At the end of Day 2, Bangladesh had cautiously reached 10 for no loss in the two overs before stumps, trailing Pakistan by 264 runs.