Babar in unfamiliar territory

By Faizan Lakhani
September 05, 2024
Pakistan´s Babar Azam walks back to pavilion after his dismissal during the fourth day of the second and last Test cricket match between Pakistan and Bangladesh, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on September 2, 2024. — AFP
Pakistan´s Babar Azam walks back to pavilion after his dismissal during the fourth day of the second and last Test cricket match between Pakistan and Bangladesh, at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on September 2, 2024. — AFP

KARACHI: Once hailed as Pakistan’s batting maestro and a global cricketing sensation, Babar Azam now finds himself in unfamiliar territory — a daunting rough patch, arguably the toughest of his career.

In his last 16 innings, not a single half-century has graced his bat. This dry spell has seen him tumble out of the ICC Test Rankings’ top 10, a position he held for nearly five years. For four years and eight months, Babar was a constant fixture in the Top 10 of ICC Test batters. Today he stands on the sidelines, looking in.

There was a time when Babar was more than just a star for Pakistan; he was a symbol of hope, elegance, and consistency. With every stroke, he seemed to turn games into masterpieces, mesmerising fans and critics alike. Now, with 16 innings without a fifty, the magic appears to have faded. His bat, once poetry in motion, has fallen silent.

In his last 16 innings, Babar has managed only 331 runs at an average of 20.68 — a stint contrast to the brilliance that once made him the poster boy of Pakistan cricket. This dip has also ended his remarkable 1,726-day run in the ICC’s elite list of Test batters.

Babar first broke into the top 10 on December 15, 2019. From there, he ascended rapidly, rarely falling out of the top six, and reaching the top three by mid-2022. He held his ground among the world’s best, staying in the top five until late 2023. But now, he has slipped not just out of the top five, but out of the top 10 altogether.

What is happening with Babar Azam and what is next for him? Is this just a temporary hurdle from which he’ll comeback stronger than ever? Or is it the beginning of a painful decline?

Fans remember Babar Azam as Pakistan’s “run machine,” the player who could be relied upon to anchor the innings, to turn the tide with his bat. Now, they are left wondering: is this a mere slump or the start of a sunset in a glittering career? Can he script a remarkable comeback, proving yet again that form is temporary but class is permanent? Or will this gradually put curtains on his Test career?