Babar Azam's batting slump continues as Mohammad Yousuf criticizes coaching staff

Babar Azam’s prolonged Test batting slump continued at Lord’s as the Pakistan captain fell for just 6 runs in the second innings against England. Chasing a daunting 389-run target, Pakistan suffered another early setback when Jofra Archer dismissed Babar, who failed to make an impact with the bat once again. The dismissal added to a difficult period for the former Pakistan captain, who has not scored a Test century since December 2022 despite coming close to the milestone on several occasions. Babar’s latest failure comes as Pakistan attempt to stay alive in a Test where England have been firmly in control.

Yousuf takes aim at coaches

Former Pakistan cricketer and batting coach Mohammad Yousuf has previously expressed concerns over Babar’s technical shortcomings and has now criticised the coaches around the star batter for failing to address those issues. "A few years ago I warned about this, but unfortunately some so-called coaches around Babar Azam & other players didn’t allow him to work on issues that could have been easily resolved. That failure has dragged Pakistan cricket into the decline we see today," he wrote in a caption while sharing the video on X. Yousuf went on to launch a stronger attack on the coaching setup, claiming that poor guidance has hindered the development of Pakistan’s talented players. "These coaches are poison for the game. They lack vision, they block progress, and they misguide even the most talented players. If our cricketers don’t learn who to listen to, their careers will end far sooner than they should. The poor technique of our players has now been brutally exposed from Bangladesh to England. What could have been corrected years ago has instead become a glaring weakness, leaving Pakistan cricket vulnerable and struggling on the international stage," he added.

The team’s poor overseas record has added to the pressure, with Pakistan losing nine of their last 10 matches away from home, their only victory in that run coming against the West Indies. Babar’s individual struggles have also coincided with considerable changes in Pakistan’s leadership. He was removed as Test captain in late 2023 before returning to the role in July 2026, after Shan Masood’s tenure failed to produce the desired results.