Pakistan Test coach Jason Gillespie has expressed confidence in Babar Azam’s ability to return to form despite his recent struggles. Babar has been unable to accumulate runs since the conclusion of last year’s ODI World Cup in India.
After Pakistan’s exit from the World Cup, Babar stepped down as captain but later resumed his role as white-ball skipper before this year’s T20 World Cup. His form continued to falter in the ongoing home Test series against Bangladesh, drawing criticism from fans and former cricketers.
Despite these challenges, Gillespie remains optimistic about Babar’s potential. He stated, “Babar is a quality player. He is a world-class player. He is very close. I feel it. I am confident that we are going to see Babar scoring some big runs very soon. He probably hasn’t converted the start he has got.”
Following Pakistan’s exit from the ODI World Cup, the team toured Australia for a three-match Test series, where they suffered a 3-0 whitewash. Babar’s performance during these Tests was underwhelming, with only 126 runs at an average of 21. In the subsequent T20I series in England, Babar scored 68 runs in two matches, averaging 34.00. During the T20 World Cup, he managed 122 runs in four matches at an average of 40.66 but faced criticism for his strike rate of 101.66.
In the ongoing series against Bangladesh, Babar has scored just 64 runs across four innings. He will be eager to regain his form in Pakistan’s upcoming series against England.