'Please listen now': Yousuf's blunt advice to Babar Azam amid batting slump

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf has urged Babar Azam to travel to Australia or South Africa and work with specialist coaches to address the technical flaws in his batting, warning that playing first-class cricket without fixing those issues could further dent the star batter's confidence. Yousuf believes Babar needs focused, specialised coaching to rediscover his best form, rather than relying solely on domestic cricket to prepare for international assignments. Babar's struggles were once again under the spotlight during Pakistan's run chase against Sri Lanka in the tri-series final on Saturday. Although Pakistan went on to win the tournament, Babar failed to make a significant contribution. "He should be going to South Africa or Australia and just focusing on working on his batting now. That will help him," Yousuf said in a post on social media on Sunday. The former Pakistan captain also questioned Babar's decision to turn out in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, where he is scheduled to represent Lahore from November 3, ahead of the two-Test series against Sri Lanka beginning on November 9.

In a strongly worded post on X, Yousuf called for Babar to receive specialised coaching in England or Australia before returning to first-class cricket. "I don't think BabarAzam should be playing first class cricket until he fixes his technical issues through specialized coaching. Struggling in domestic cricket could further harm his confidence and career. Send him to an academy in England or Australia. He is still Pakistan's top player, and with the right guidance and a little effort, he can return to his best. I said this four years ago, and nobody listened. Please listen now," Yousuf wrote. The advice comes at a crucial stage in Babar's career. The 32-year-old has scored only one century in the last three years in ODIs, despite having 20 hundreds in the format. He has already been dropped from Pakistan's T20I setup, while his place in the white-ball squads has come under scrutiny. If Babar is to be considered for Pakistan's squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup, a significant turnaround in form will be crucial.

Babar's decline has remained a major talking point, particularly after the standards he set between 2018 and 2023, when he established himself among the leading batters in world cricket. His performances since stepping down as captain following the 2023 ODI World Cup, however, have not matched those levels. Former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis recently said on a podcast that Babar had been unfortunate to be the best batter in the side and had not received the support he needed from his teammates. Retired all-rounder Imad Wasim has also defended Babar, saying he had never seen a Pakistan player face as much criticism and hate from the media, critics and social media users. With Pakistan's next T20I assignment and the 2027 ODI World Cup on the horizon, Babar faces mounting pressure to rediscover his form.