Pakistan's star batter Babar Azam has continued to struggle after a frustrating Test series against Bangladesh. In a practice match as a video went viral on social media, the right-handed batter's stumps were left in a mess as he went for a paddle sweep against the spinner Muhammad Asghar. The Lahore-born cricketer could manage only 20 runs.
Babar has been facing widespread criticism even for his performances on-field, with Pakistan losing the two-Test series to Bangladesh on home soil in humiliating fashion. The 29-year-old had registered scores of 0, 22, 11 and 31, thereby dropping out of the ICC top 10 rankings for batters after a long time.
Babar will, meanwhile, play for the Stallions in the Champions one-day Cup as he hopes to revive his form ahead of the high-voltage three-Test series against England.
Babar Azam likely to be removed as white-ball captain: Report
With Babar overseeing Pakistan's disappointing T20 World Cup 2024 campaign as they failed to make it beyond the group stage, his captaincy is in jeopardy. The right-handed batter had notably stepped down after the 2023 World Cup, but the PCB brought him back ahead of this year's showpiece event.
With Pakistan scheduled for a limited-overs tour in Australia in November, reports indicate that Mohammad Rizwan is likely to be appointed captain for the same. Pakistan's three-Test series against England begins on October 7 in Multan.
