"How many domestic matches Babar has played since being removed?" - Basit Ali questions Pakistan's batter comeback for South Africa Tests
Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has questioned the decision to recall Babar Azam to the Test side for the multi-format tour of South Africa. Basit wondered on what basis the selectors handed the former captain a comeback.
Pakistan announced their squads for the tour of South Africa on Wednesday, December 4. While there was no place for left-arm pacer Shaheen Afridi in the red-ball squad, Babar and Naseem Shah were recalled to the Test team.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, former Pakistan cricketer Basit slammed the move to recall Babar to the Test team. He said (as quoted by ANI):
"How many domestic matches Babar has played since being removed from the Test team? When Babar was dropped from the Test team, on what performance did he return to the team? He is a good player, but did his form improve after being dropped from that series?"
Babar was dropped from Pakistan's red-ball squad for the second and third Test of the home series against England after registering scores of 30 & 5 in the first Test at the Multan Cricket Stadium. The 30-year-old managed only 80 runs in three ODIs in Australia and 47 runs in three T20Is.
Pakistan's squad for South Africa Tests: Shan Masood (C), Saud Shakeel (VC), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Haseebullah (wk)
Babar Azam's woeful run in Test cricket
Babar has been struggling for runs in Test cricket for a couple of years. He had a memorable 2022, notching up 1,184 runs in 17 innings at an average of 69.64, with the aid of four hundreds and seven fifties. However, it has all gone downhill for him after that.
In 2023, he managed only 204 runs in nine innings at an average of 22.66, with a best of 41. In 2024, he has so far played eight Test innings but has only managed 148 runs at an average of 18.50, with a best of 31.
Overall, the right-handed batter has featured in 55 Test matches and has scored 3,997 runs at an average of 43.92, with nine hundreds and 26 fifties and a best of 196.