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[EXCLUSIVE] "Few bad performances don't make Babar Azam an average player": Fawad Alam

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MenInG

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An exclusive interview with Saj for PakPassion:

🎙️ Cricket enthusiasts, the wait is over! In this exclusive interview, we sit down with the dynamic Fawad Alam, Pakistan's cricket maestro, to delve into the intricacies of preparing Test spinners and gain insights into his unwavering support for Babar Azam.🏏

Fawad Alam, renowned for his tenacity on the field, opens up about the art of spin in Test cricket. From subtle variations to strategic mindset, he shares the secrets behind preparing spinners for the challenges of the longest format.🌟 But that's not all! Fawad also takes a stand for Babar Azam, addressing recent challenges and expressing unwavering support for the captain. Despite a couple of setbacks, Fawad sheds light on Babar's resilience and the unwritten chapters yet to be penned in his illustrious career.

🗣️ Join us in this compelling conversation that goes beyond the boundaries of the cricket field. Fawad Alam's insights are a must-watch for every cricket aficionado. What are your thoughts on the role of spin in Test cricket, and how do you see Babar Azam's journey unfolding? Share your views in the comments below!

 
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He is just going through a form slump, just like other batsmen in the world have had to deal with sometime in their lives.
It could just be a matter of time before he finds his mojo back.
 
Croma said:
He is just going through a form slump, just like other batsmen in the world have had to deal with sometime in their lives.
It could just be a matter of time before he finds his mojo back.
Click to expand...

Not really true, he has been exposed and cant handle pressure. Just look at his numbers vs top teams last 2 or 3 years in ICC events. Also his weakness against spin is really bad. Add to that he now also is struggling big time vs pace.
 
Now that he's given up captaincy I think expectations are probably even higher from Babar as he doesn't have the pressure of captaincy.

So far, not so good unfortunately.
 
pakistani pride said:
Not really true, he has been exposed and cant handle pressure. Just look at his numbers vs top teams last 2 or 3 years in ICC events. Also his weakness against spin is really bad. Add to that he now also is struggling big time vs pace.
Click to expand...
He is a excellent ODI bat , good T20 but not really a great Test player ! Still looking at other players from Pak , he is a automatic pick in all 3 formats !
 
Saj said:
Now that he's given up captaincy I think expectations are probably even higher from Babar as he doesn't have the pressure of captaincy.

So far, not so good unfortunately.
Click to expand...
Babar was given too much free hand during his captaincy, specially during Rameez’s tenure. This got to his head.

It will take time for him to adjust to humbleness again. Eventually he would return to his run scoring habits.
 
If he can't score runs against quality attacks and teams, then his quality and temparament as a batsman will rightfully be questioned
 
I think therfore I am said:
I disagree he has had no stand out performance, over strong quality full strength teams, in any format.
Click to expand...
104 against Australia in Brisbane Test match
97 against Australia in Adelaide Test match
196 against Australia in Karachi Test Match
136 against England in Rawalpindi Test Match
127 not out against New Zealand in Dubai Test Match
161 against New Zealand in Karachi Test Match
90 not out Against NZ in Hamilton Test Match

that is just test Matches. And it is not Babar's fault that we hardly play any test matches against the top teams
 
cricketAXEpert said:
104 against Australia in Brisbane Test match
97 against Australia in Adelaide Test match
196 against Australia in Karachi Test Match
136 against England in Rawalpindi Test Match
127 not out against New Zealand in Dubai Test Match
161 against New Zealand in Karachi Test Match
90 not out Against NZ in Hamilton Test Match

that is just test Matches. And it is not Babar's fault that we hardly play any test matches against the top teams
Click to expand...
It's not a list of stand out performance to be honest. You are jut listing any time he has scored.

Stand out means, you stand out as compared to others in the same match. Except one match , some one else has been stand out in the same match.

Brisbane : Marnus 154, Warner 185, Rizwan 95 [ Noting stand out about 105 runs total by Babar in same match]
Adelaide : Warner 335 , Marnus 162 , Yasir 113 [ Nothing stand out about 105 runs total by Babar in the same match ]
Rawalpindi : Crawley 122, ben 107, Pope 108, Brook 153, Abdullah 114, Iman 121 [ Nothing stand out about 140 total runs in the match ]
Dubai : Harris 147 in the same match.
Karachi: Kane had 200 not out in same match


There is reason for Babar to have a grand total of 1 MOM in test format in 50 plus tests. He does not have many stand out performances against any team.
 
Babar is still a very good batsman, but not really in tier of YK, Inzzy etc in the test format. He is comfortably a tier below them.
 
Buffet said:
It's not a list of stand out performance to be honest. You are jut listing any time he has scored.

Stand out means, you stand out as compared to others in the same match. Except one match , some one else has been stand out in the same match.

Brisbane : Marnus 154, Warner 185, Rizwan 95 [ Noting stand out about 105 runs total by Babar in same match]
Adelaide : Warner 335 , Marnus 162 , Yasir 113 [ Nothing stand out about 105 runs total by Babar in the same match ]
Rawalpindi : Crawley 122, ben 107, Pope 108, Brook 153, Abdullah 114, Iman 121 [ Nothing stand out about 140 total runs in the match ]
Dubai : Harris 147 in the same match.
Karachi: Kane had 200 not out in same match


There is reason for Babar to have a grand total of 1 MOM in test format in 50 plus tests. He does not have many stand out performances against any team.
Click to expand...
Took the words right out of my mouth. You have to look at each test match in context and delve into other players performances.
 
Lol Fawad Alam is one to talk. Habitually failed against Australia.
 
Very poor from Babar yes he had some very good balls that got him out but his dismisal to Lyon was poor.
 
cricketAXEpert said:
104 against Australia in Brisbane Test match
97 against Australia in Adelaide Test match
196 against Australia in Karachi Test Match
136 against England in Rawalpindi Test Match
127 not out against New Zealand in Dubai Test Match
161 against New Zealand in Karachi Test Match
90 not out Against NZ in Hamilton Test Match

that is just test Matches. And it is not Babar's fault that we hardly play any test matches against the top teams
Click to expand...
And how many of those games Pak won?
 
Babar Azam:

Test average December 2022 - 49.25

Test average today - 45.85

A drop of 3.40 in the space of just over a year.

Worrying times.
 
Saj said:
Babar Azam:

Test average December 2022 - 49.25

Test average today - 45.85

A drop of 3.40 in the space of just over a year.

Worrying times.
Click to expand...
Not really worrying, next series is up against the pathetic BD. Plenty of opportunities to regain form & "repair" the damaging average. Now if he fails there as well, then yes it's time to get worried. Because it would mean he lost the ability of the two things he was always good at ; minnow bashing & statpadding.
 
It’s not a few though.

In either case I blame his diehard deewani fans. They needlessly compared him to actual greats of the game, even disrespecting our own legends. He never wanted any of it, but because of them he may have started to believe in the hype.

Right now he doesn’t even make the all time Pakistan Test XI.

Time to get to work, because it’s been 2 whole years now, time to make it count on non roads Vs top 3 oppositions.
 
Babar seemed to be carrying extra weight. He needs to get fitter and so do some of the other players. Shan was looking lean and fit. This is elite international sport and the players should be finely tuned athletes. There is also a slight lack of confidence in some of the players. Mentality is very important at this level - Jamal showed he had the right mentality so it shows a player can come straight from domestic cricket and succeed.
 
Hitman said:
That's unfair. Did you expect him to take the 20 opposition wickets as well. Brian Lara has just 8 of his 34 Test centuries in wins. Not his fault.
Click to expand...
Compare Babar with Lara!!! Lara with his mighty ability can destroy any opposition if anyone hold wicket on other side. For Babar its opposite. Others have to take risk and Babar has to play cautiously to score statpad run-a-ball 50 or century. He is just an accumulator. Opposition team doesn't worry about his match loosing performances.
 
The blots on his record especially in Australia are unrepairable when you play such a small number of Tests every year. The next one is not for many many months.

We had the Asia Cup, World Cup and now this tour in quick succession and he pretty much failed the whole lot. Having a "bad patch" in one of the most pivotal periods of your career during your peak years does permanent damage to your legacy.
 
Saj said:
Babar Azam:

Test average December 2022 - 49.25

Test average today - 45.85

A drop of 3.40 in the space of just over a year.

Worrying times.
Click to expand...
Did Fawad say anything about himself, his career,any comeback chance with you? I m his fan. And I feel frustrated when I think that he was robbed of a long international career.
 
I think Babar needs a rest. He is not mentally strong enough to handle the conditions where he is standing right now. If he keeps playing he will go further downhill.
 
cricketAXEpert said:
104 against Australia in Brisbane Test match
97 against Australia in Adelaide Test match
196 against Australia in Karachi Test Match
136 against England in Rawalpindi Test Match
127 not out against New Zealand in Dubai Test Match
161 against New Zealand in Karachi Test Match
90 not out Against NZ in Hamilton Test Match

that is just test Matches. And it is not Babar's fault that we hardly play any test matches against the top teams
Click to expand...
You should look at what other players did in those matches. I think in one of the tests the entire English top five got hundreds. Find me an innings where he stood up when others failed.

His 100 against Srilanka and a 90 odd early in his career when he carried his bat against New Zealand are his best knocks. All other hundreds barring the one in Aussie are on dead tracks where others have out performed him.
 
Mainul said:
Did Fawad say anything about himself, his career,any comeback chance with you? I m his fan. And I feel frustrated when I think that he was robbed of a long international career.
Click to expand...
He's in USA at the moment, playing out there.

Due to make a decision about his future soon.
 
Back to back 50s for Babar but 2 defeats for Pakistan.

He's not had much support to be honest.
 
Fawad's lost years in Test cricket are a tragedy.

They were his peak years, he was at his best, yet ignored.

Then they brought him back, when he was clearly not the player he once was.
 
Fawad Alam's new look. I think his short international career is over now.

pcXjVk3.png
 
Babar Azam vs. Michael Bracewell in T20Is:

20 runs
4 dismissals
5 average
83 strike rate

No bowler has dismissed Babar Azam more times in T20Is!
 
Asad T said:
Babar Azam vs. Michael Bracewell in T20Is:

20 runs
4 dismissals
5 average
83 strike rate

No bowler has dismissed Babar Azam more times in T20Is!
Click to expand...
I've said it multiple times, King has no backfoot play against spin.

All it takes to get this moron out is bowl on a good length.

How he managed to score that 101 against NZ in 2019 is beyond me.
 
Always was a fan of him. He had a very limited technique but he was gritty and was scoring bucket loads of runs in domestic cricket.

Unfortunately, I think he got treated a bit unfairly. He also came up in the time period when we needed new openers more than we needed new middle order batsmen in Test cricket.
 
160KPH said:
Always was a fan of him. He had a very limited technique but he was gritty and was scoring bucket loads of runs in domestic cricket.

Unfortunately, I think he got treated a bit unfairly. He also came up in the time period when we needed new openers more than we needed new middle order batsmen in Test cricket.
Click to expand...
Wait why? He was more qualified then shafiq at no 6, you could also have moved azhar to open over shehzad and brought fawad at 4 by moving yk to no 3
 
mominsaigol said:
Wait why? He was more qualified then shafiq at no 6, you could also have moved azhar to open over shehzad and brought fawad at 4 by moving yk to no 3
Click to expand...
At the time Asad Shafiq was performing well at #6, there was no way he was going to lose his spot. Since his debut, he is still the #2 highest scorer at the #6 position, the first being Ben Stokes. And Asad Shafiq has a higher average at #6. He was not nearly as successful coming up the order.

When it comes to the other things I would have to go back and look at the matches and who was playing at the time. But when Fawad made his debut our middle order was Younis Khan, Yousuf, and Misbah. Around the time where the UAE was actually a fortress for Pakistan and we didn’t lose for about 7 years, our middle order was Azhar, Younis, Misbah, Shafiq and they were performing well in those conditions.

I wish they had found a way to fit Fawad Alam into the lineup, but to be fair we didn’t need more batting help in the UAE and Fawad did not look good at all in New Zealand or England.
 
mominsaigol said:
Wait why? He was more qualified then shafiq at no 6, you could also have moved azhar to open over shehzad and brought fawad at 4 by moving yk to no 3
Click to expand...
Also Ahmed Shehzad was also scoring bucket loads of runs in the UAE although he didn’t play many matches. Our opening changed quite a bit throughout the years but even by the tour of England our openers were Hafeez, Shan followed by Azhar Ali, Younis, Misbah, Shafiq, Sarfraz. A year later we had Sami Aslam opening with Azhar Ali.
 
Still grinding in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2024

Scored 62(73) for Karachi Blues in first innings which helped his side beat Dera Murad Jamali by an innings & 56 runs in fourth round of tournament

 
Fawad Alam scored a crucial 60 (83) in the first innings and 21 (22) in the second innings for Karachi Blues in the fifth round of the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy 2024, but it wasn't enough to prevent a loss against Sialkot.
 
Fawad Alam delivered a standout performance on Day 2 of the first round of the President's Trophy 2025

SBP's middle-order batter scored an unbeaten 82* against OGDCL, showing a never-give-up attitude.
 
FearlessRoar said:
Fawad Alam delivered a standout performance on Day 2 of the first round of the President's Trophy 2025

SBP's middle-order batter scored an unbeaten 82* against OGDCL, showing a never-give-up attitude.
Click to expand...

SBP's Fawad Alam scored 106 on Day 4 of the second innings, marking his 44th First-Class century, but his efforts fell short as SBP lost to OGDCL by 128 runs in the first round of the President's Trophy 2025.
 
FearlessRoar said:
SBP's Fawad Alam scored 106 on Day 4 of the second innings, marking his 44th First-Class century, but his efforts fell short as SBP lost to OGDCL by 128 runs in the first round of the President's Trophy 2025.
Click to expand...
He hasn't retired?
 
Fawad Alam Reaches Significant Milestone in First-Class Cricket

He added another remarkable achievement to his career, reaching 15,000 runs in first-class cricket.

The left-hander accomplished this feat during the second-round match of the ongoing President’s Trophy Grade-I between State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and Pakistan Television (PTV) at the State Bank Stadium.

Fawad played a crucial anchoring role with a half-century, helping SBP build a commanding lead over the previous season's runners-up.

At 39, he became the 20th Pakistani batter to surpass the 15,000-run mark, and his impressive average of 55.89 is the highest among all national players to achieve this milestone.
 
Fawad Alam contributed 52 off 101 balls, including five fours. He was the other notable run-getter for the winning side, SBP while playing against HEC on conclusion of fifth round of the President's Trophy Grade-1, 2025
 
SBP's Fawad Alam scored a crucial 59 on Day 1 of the sixth round of the President’s Trophy 2025 against Eshaal Associates.
 
FearlessRoar said:
SBP's Fawad Alam scored a crucial 59 on Day 1 of the sixth round of the President’s Trophy 2025 against Eshaal Associates.
Click to expand...
After shining with the bat, the veteran all rounder displayed his magic with the ball (3/41) as his side accomplished triumph over the Eshaal Estates
 
Babar selected Fawad during his reign as test captain, so it’s understandable that he’s sticking up for him.
 
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