Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has shed light on the reasons behind Babar Azam’s recent form slump, revealing two primary factors contributing to the scrutiny surrounding the star batter.
Speaking to a local sports channel, Butt, 39, emphasised that the intense criticism Babar is facing stems from the immense pressure placed on him as Pakistan's leading run-scorer and the lack of adequate support from his teammates.
Butt explained that Babar's recent performance issues are not solely due to his form but are exacerbated by the team’s heavy reliance on him. "Babar is undoubtedly Pakistan's best batter and one of the most consistent players of the past decade. However, the problem now is that he is expected to carry the entire team," Butt remarked.
He noted that in earlier times, there were multiple match-winners in the team, which distributed the pressure and allowed for a more balanced performance.
"In the past, there were 4-5 other players who could step up and win matches, thereby preserving everyone’s respect and contributing to overall success. Currently, Babar scores most of the runs, but there is no one else to match his performance. This imbalance has led to heightened scrutiny when he fails to deliver," Butt said.
Butt also pointed to deficiencies in player development as a major factor. He criticized the focus on power-hitting and aggressive play over developing well-rounded batting techniques.
"The entire batting line-up now emphasizes power-hitting rather than accumulating runs through solid technique. This has impacted the team’s chances of winning when Babar does not perform. The reliance on Babar to consistently score runs has made his occasional failures more pronounced," Butt added.
The former captain stressed that the lack of technique-focused training has left the team without reliable alternatives. "The issue is not just Babar's performance; it’s the failure to develop other players who can contribute meaningfully. The emphasis on aggressive play rather than traditional batting techniques has led to a lack of support for Babar when he struggles," Butt concluded.
In the ongoing Test series against Bangladesh, Babar has been under pressure, managing only 22 runs in the first innings of the first Test and 31 runs in the second innings so far. This continued struggle has intensified the focus on his role as the white-ball captain.
