Mohammad Yousuf advises Babar Azam to stay away from first-class cricket for now
Former Pakistan cricketer Mohammad Yousuf has advised star batter Babar Azam not to play first-class cricket for now. In his view, if Babar plays domestic cricket before overcoming his batting weaknesses, he could come under even more pressure.
Instead of domestic cricket, Yousuf suggested Babar should train at a specialised cricket academy in England or Australia.
Babar scored only 118 runs in five matches in the recently concluded ODI tri-series. His average was 23.60 and his strike rate was 74.21. After that performance, Yousuf expressed concern about the technical side of his batting.
Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi has said Babar will play for Lahore Whites in the first round of the 2026-27 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Yousuf, however, does not agree with that decision.
Writing on social media platform X, Yousuf said Babar should not play first-class cricket until his technical problems are fixed through specialised coaching. He wrote that failure in domestic cricket could have a further negative effect on Babar's confidence and career, so he should be sent to an academy in England or Australia.
Yousuf, however, retains faith in Babar's ability. He believes that with the right guidance, the Pakistan batter will return to his best form again.
Babar has also been short of runs in Test cricket for a long time. After scoring 161 against New Zealand in December 2022, he has not scored another century. Since 2023, his Test batting average is only 30.43, with eight half-centuries in 39 innings in that period.
Earlier this year, Babar returned to domestic first-class cricket after seven years, playing for OGDC in the President's Trophy. His participation in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy this time has now created fresh discussion.
