PAK vs BAN: Babar Azam fails yet again as Pakistan overlooks a whitewash against Bangladesh

The whole of the PAK vs BAN red-ball series has passed with the Pakistani fans still awaiting the comeback of Babar Azam in the longest format. The former Pakistan skipper registered another mediocre knock as Pakistan batted in the second innings of the final match against Bangladesh. Azam, who marked the onset of the ongoing red-ball series with a duck, has now spent 16 Test innings without even a single half-century knock. Now, with Bangladesh set in the final chase of the Test series, Babar has wrapped the series with a collective score of a meager 64 across the 4 innings.

Babar Azam and his struggle with an unending lean patch in Tests

For a player of Azam’s caliber, the lean patch is generally calculated by the stretch spent without scoring a red-ball century. However, the loss of form for Babar has depleted to a level where the batter has now gone over 616 days without registering any half-century in Tests. As Pakistan now overlooks the fate of a series whitewash against the touring Bangladesh, Babar Azam has drawn severe ire from fans and experts alike for yet another lackluster outing in the format.

Pakistan concluded the first Test match with a 10-wicket defeat handed to them by the guests. The series started on a positive note as Mohammad Rizwan and Saud Shakeel scored their respective centuries to take Pakistan’s first innings total to par 400. However, in what turned out to be a misjudged decision by captain Shan Masood, Pakistan declared the innings at 448-6, denying a double century to Rizwan.

The match eventually ended in a massive win for Bangladesh in Rawalpindi. As the uproar over the home loss intensified, the news of Shaheen Afridi being dropped from the team for the second match arrived. While Shaheen Afridi faced the wrath for the loss, Babar Azam passed yet another match without lending any impact on the batting lineup. The former skipper registered a 0(2) and 22(50) across both innings for Pakistan.

Babar Azam, with his last half-century dating back to 2022, however, sustained his place in the team for the final match despite his elongated lean patch in the format. Former cricketers, experts, and fans questioned the favor lent to Azam, a luxury that Shaheen Afridi failed to earn. Out-of-favor Pakistani batter came down with heavy criticism orchestrated at Babar Azam. Shehzad, who recently announced his retirement from domestic cricket, asked why Shaheen Afridi bore the brunt while Azam still gets to sit in the Playing XI.

"You lost to Zimbabwe, you lost to Ireland, you lost to the USA, you lost to India, now you lost to Bangladesh. Is Shaheen Afridi only responsible for all of this?" said Shehzad in a video he posted on X. "Shaheen Afridi won't be solely responsible for all of this. So, bring all those people who were involved in all of this. So, it is wrong to blame Shaheen Afridi for all of this,” he added. “What about Babar Azam's performance in the last 14 Test matches?” Shehzad finally asked as he questioned the apparent unfair treatment of Shaheen Afridi.

Adding to the chagrin of the critics and the headache for the management, Azam has now managed to pass another match without validating his presence in the team. As Pakistan struggles to hold their fort against the guests, Azam has done next to nothing to ensure a respectful result for Pakistan. Moreover, with the swift rejection of Afridi for his lean patch, Azam remaining in the lineup is raising many eyes. Babar Azam last scored a Test half-century in Pakistan’s series against New Zealand in December 2022. The batter has gone over 16 Test innings without a notable knock. Consequently, Azam’s Test average has now dropped lower than 45.

PAK vs BAN: Pakistan overlooks a whitewash in the home series against Bangladesh

With a washout on the first day, Pakistan managed to post 274 on the scoreboard on the second as Azam scored 31 off 77. The Pakistani bowlers, with a spectacular 6-wicket haul by Khurram Shahzad, caught Bangladesh in a puddle, restricting the guests to 26 for 6 wickets. However, Litton Das, with a miraculous century and a perfect cameo by Mehidy Hasan Miraj, scripted a historic comeback in the game.

Pakistan, in return for the tenacious 262 by Bangladesh, bundled out on 81 for 6 in their final innings. One of the wickets in Pakistan’s epic collapse against Bangladesh was that of a consistently failing Babar Azam. Azam accumulated 11 off 18 before handing his wicket to Nahid Rana. Ultimately, Hasan Mahmud claimed a fifer against Pakistan to set the stage for a 2-0 series win for Bangladesh against Pakistan. Now, with almost two years of struggle in his Test account, it remains to be seen if Babar Azam can retain his place in the Pakistani side for the upcoming series against England.