“They say every rise has a fall, and for Babar Azam, that moment seems to have arrived.”
Once at the peak of world cricket, Azam now faces a defining moment in his career. With his 30th birthday approaching, Azam will take time off to reflect and recover.
This follows a poor run of form, with Azam failing to score a half-century in his last 18 Test innings — the first time he’s been dropped since his debut in 2015.
Azam’s career reached its peak in 2016 when he hit three consecutive centuries against the West Indies. He later became the world’s top-ranked ODI batsman in 2021, a position he still holds. However, his Test form has fallen, with his last notable knock being a 196 against Australia in 2022.
As captain of Pakistan, the pressure of leading a struggling team began to affect his performances. After Pakistan’s disappointing World Cup exit, Azam stepped down from the captaincy. His short-lived return to the role didn’t improve his form, and his struggles continued in the first Test against England, leading to his exclusion.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
Despite being dropped, Azam has received encouragement from his coach and captain, highlighting that this is not the end of his journey.
The break from cricket will give a tired Azam time to rest, reflect and recuperate, after two years of mental, emotional and physical toil on the front line of a struggling side.