Patience running out for Babar Azam

[slice]

When he came onto the scene he looked promising, few chinks but was good.Then he just stalled and maybe regressed.
Nowadays he seems to be living on "talent" and "promise" just like TTF`s live on "experience".
Typically his knocks have been tuk tuk...one good shot,tuk tuk, then out mostly under 15 scores for quite some time.Even his Test innings have not been anything special barring a couple of half centuries if I remember.Infact he is looking more and more like Shafiq in ODI`s.
Honestly dont see him as much of an upgrade over the Akmlas-atleast they can hit big.
Trying Haris might not be such a bad idea but it probably wont happen ..too risky to throw a player making a comeback straight into a do or die match.

 

[Azzurri]

Relax mate. Let the kid have a breath man, What do you expect from him? Hundred every game:

 

[Abdullah719]

He's struggled in the CT but he hit an ODI hundred five matches ago. Some perspective please.

And the comparison with Shafiq... )

 

[slice]

Relax mate. Let the kid have a breath man, What do you expect from him? Hundred every game:

atleast 20 thiny scores at decent clip

 

[Enigma_]

His problem is that he doesn't believe that he's the best batsman on the team (by talent). He's afraid of playing like a #1. Someone needs to tell him to play with freedom. He shouldn't be the one fearing the bowler but the other way around because of the gun player he is.

 

[Rayyman]

Babar could've scored a match-winning 50+ against SA. He was well on course to doing so. Looked good today against SL too, but got out cheaply. Maybe if he fails against England then we can have this conversation. As of now, he deserves to play the next match.

 

[cricketInsight]

You want to select Sohail in place of Azam but want to leave Hafeez untouched. Shows how much you know about the game.

 

[idrizzy]

I understand the frustration - shades of Umar Akmal in him BUT he is willing to learn, which'll help us in the long run. WC19 is a stage where he has to perform, CT is a tad too early, as he's only played 20 odd ODIs (probably 30ish) against top quality opposition with no respite.

 

[waleed88]

He's missing West Indies in the tournament, the only team he can perform against...

His real average against the teams minus the WI is hovering around the mid 30s..

A certified hack of the same mould as Hafeez and Malik, and will slowly but surely goto that level in the side... but will almost always have a place since he is the golden boy

Already has a selfish streak in him

 

[Confucius]

Yet we have reservoirs of patience for Hafeez.

 

[Mamoon]

He is a very fine talent, but I fear that he may turn out to be a coward. Hopefully he will try to impose himself on England, his body language is terrible.

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

People need to relax, yes he has issues but we need perspective.

Even Sihkander Bhakt was saying one Geo that Babar isn't an odi player and should be axed. We as a collective fan base have the memory of a goldfish with the exemption of glorying 92

 

[waleed88]

I understand the frustration - shades of Umar Akmal in him BUT he is willing to learn, which'll help us in the long run. WC19 is a stage where he has to perform, CT is a tad too early, as he's only played 20 odd ODIs (probably 30ish) against top quality opposition with no respite.

You're serious right? He has been playing since 2015 please see his stats. This is almost his second full year in the side, the ODI and now the test setup he has been a permanent member of.

Both grounds beneath his feet seem to slowly but surely getting smaller.

 

[ExpressPacer]

He's just been in poor form. Cut the poor guy some slack, he's a terrific batsman however, playing in the company of Azhar and Hafeez has dented him as a batsman.

 

[waleed88]

If Babar didn't average in the 100s against the WI his real average is just as bad as MOhammad Hafeez or Shoaib Malik's

 

[WC-Passion]

Just let him have a run at 3, he will come good.

 

[Abdullah719]

If Babar didn't average in the 100s against the WI his real average is just as bad as MOhammad Hafeez or Shoaib Malik's

Back to your favourite topic.

Has Babar played 200+ matches like the aforementioned legends?

Do let me know.

 

[Rinnegan Sasuke]

If Babar didn't average in the 100s against the WI his real average is just as bad as MOhammad Hafeez or Shoaib Malik's

Haha, you're having a field day, good for you

 

[saadsahabjee]

he is slowly becoming UA part 2

 

[Macho Mann]

He's struggled in the CT but he hit an ODI hundred five matches ago. Some perspective please.

And the comparison with Shafiq... )

our 150 runs batting also made 300 against west indies, please get better excuses

he needed to prove his worth, but he just isnt that good, plain and simple, got busted very badly

 

[Confucius]

He's just been in poor form. Cut the poor guy some slack, he's a terrific batsman however, playing in the company of Azhar and Hafeez has dented him as a batsman.

This. He should be partnering with Sarfaraz and Malik.

 

[Khan12]

Badly out of form. Pathetic some people are happy. I understand since the legend couldn't score a century.

 

[Abdullah719]

our 150 runs batting also made 300 against west indies, please get better excuses

Huh?

 

[slice]

You want to select Sohail in place of Azam but want to leave Hafeez untouched. Shows how much you know about the game.

in an ideal world yes but we all know some players are untouchable.

 

[Manager101]

Iss ko Hafeez ki sohbat se door rakho.

 

[Syed1]

King of easy runs.

 

[slice]

He's missing West Indies in the tournament, the only team he can perform against...

His real average against the teams minus the WI is hovering around the mid 30s..

A certified hack of the same mould as Hafeez and Malik, and will slowly but surely goto that level in the side... but will almost always have a place since he is the golden boy

Already has a selfish streak in him

oh yes exaclty wut was at the back of my mind.

 

[Billy1999]

Oh my

When Babar makes hundred be prepared to shut your mouths

 

[pakistanisgreat]

i have feeling he will come good on wednesday.

 

[Lynx]

I mentioned in some other thread that as good as he looks and as good as he MIGHT become, he's developed a selfish streak wherein he has started playing a lot of dots. He was a breath of fresh air when he first broke into the team, as we all thought we finally had someone who could rotate the strike and generally score freely. He looks a million dollars while playing his shots, but this guy needs to step up against the bigger sides now, big time, and stop taking his sweet time at the crease to get going. It's all good scoring hundreds for fun against a team like Windies, but he has a long way to go to be anywhere close to the world's leading batsmen, as many posters here make him out to be.

I like him, don't get me wrong, and firmly believe he is one of the best talents in the country. However, he needs to start playing for the team, which he very clearly isn't. My patience is running thin with him too.

 

[Yatoo]

Yasir Hameed 2.0

 

[Chief Destroyer]

When are we facing Windies next?

 

[Madplayer]

I think most people havent realized that he has been out of form since the last ODI games of WI tour and then the test series as well. Its just a bad patch imo but he needs to start scoring hard runs now. He is too soft with zero attitude.

 

[Macho Mann]

champions trophy just tested who is better who is not, babar azam has been found out, it is a terrible news for some babar azam fans, but its the reality

has also misfield if i remember correctly in this same match

 

[waleed88]

Back to your favourite topic.

Has Babar played 200+ matches like the aforementioned legends?

Do let me know.

Yes but 2 years is enough to judge a batsman, and that too one that has a certified place in the side and never seems to get dropped whether its raining stars, or flying unicorns.... Babar Azam always makes the cut..

High time to give this overrated individual a chance on the bench, maybe bring in Haris Sohail the original owner of the spot..

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

He needs Sharjeel at top and Haris at 4. He will come good. Have patience

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Playing with Hafeez is not helping his cause.

 

[Macho Mann]

I think most people havent realized that he has been out of form since the last ODI games of WI tour and then the test series as well. Its just a bad patch imo but he needs to start scoring hard runs now. He is too soft with zero attitude.

so he needs to go back find his form and then comeback

 

[Confucius]

Strike rotation is the issue here. The intent is there. Batting coach needs work hard on this with him. He is young and should be given a long rope. No way has he earned the one down position though.. that's a joke.

 

[waleed88]

Iss ko Hafeez ki sohbat se door rakho.

Maybe its another Hafeez in the making no? The guy always scored against Srilanka, and this guy has a flavor for the West Indies

 

[CricMylifr]

2 failures and u ppl r already calling for his head..

No wonder pak team is not improving... if we don't persist with these young talented cricketers... how would pak improve as a team??

 

[Abdullah]

Funny comments. Needs to come good v angraiz

 

[Madplayer]

so he needs to go back find his form and then comeback

You dont do that with your potentially top players. De kock went through the same phase in 2015 wc when he was literally scoring single digits in every match. But SA persisted with him and now he is one of the best opener in the world. As horrible as he has ben, Babar is ranked 7th in ODIs. We cant afford to drop him. We have identified him, now just wait for him to get back in form which will happen soon.

 

[Macho Mann]

You dont do that with your potentially top players. De kock went through the same phase in 2015 wc when he was literally scoring single digits in every match. But SA persisted with him and now he is one of the best opener in the world. As horrible as he has ben, Babar is ranked 7th in ODIs. We cant afford to drop him. We have identified him, now just wait for him to get back in form which will happen soon.

ohh please dont compare babar with de cock

 

[Salman]

Babar needs to see out this tournament to the end and so does Hafeez.

 

[slice]

Oh my

When Babar makes hundred be prepared to shut your mouths

honestly thats wut im hoping for

 

[Titan24]

Guys relax he is just 22 and has already performed in NZ, Eng, Aus (Scored a century), WI along with UAE.

Yes he has showed some nerves in champions trophy but he is still young and will learn to handle pressure better with time.

And you never know mag be he has saved the best for the next two matches. Atleast we know that if he performs we are likely going to win unlike Azhar and Hafeez performances.

 

[Titan24]

You dont do that with your potentially top players. De kock went through the same phase in 2015 wc when he was literally scoring single digits in every match. But SA persisted with him and now he is one of the best opener in the world. As horrible as he has ben, Babar is ranked 7th in ODIs. We cant afford to drop him. We have identified him, now just wait for him to get back in form which will happen soon.

Yes!

 

[MRSN]

He is playing too many shots in the air. He needs to learn from Kohli.

 

[cricfan14]

He almost has the opposite problem of an Akmal.

He's suddenly looking so tentative at the crease, which is NOT what we've seen from him before. In the past, even if he starts out slowly, there's an assurance there in his body language that shows you he's just getting adapted.

Having said that, the idea we should run out of patience for Babar Azam when Ahmed Shehzad got to play against India and Hafeez is STILL PLAYING is such a joke.

Akmals just throw away their wickets with rash shots. Babar looks tentative and caves to pressure right now. But I think he'll be fine.

 

[bujhee kom]

Crud player.

 

[Madplayer]

ohh please dont compare babar with de cock

Okay go drop him and take his place at no. 3 because there is no one else who can do it. Talking as if there are world class number 3 batsmen waiting on the bench. Beggars cant be choosers.

 

[proud_pakistani]

From his body language while fielding it seems he is a little nervous and perhaps is overawed by the fact this is an ICC event. In many ways it is as big as a World Cup. He needs some time and I think he definitely needs a sports psychologist. I am very much certain he is the best batting talent in Pakistan right now. Need to persist with him and let him be comfortable.

 

[cricfan14]

When I read this thread the best thought is -

who the heck do you want to replace him with?!?!?

This idea we can run out of patience with Babar Azam after 4/5 matches when there's zilch of quality to take his place is a joke.

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

ohh please dont compare babar with de cock

He will be better than De Kock. Just wait and watch

Playing around Azhar and Hafeez isn't helping his case. Takes too much pressure on himself knowing he has to do most of the work.

 

[Titan24]

This guy has been known in the Pakistani cricket circles since he was 16 and the world also seen him at that time in U19 world cup. Guy is a real talent.

For the people comparing him with hafeez or other batsmen Hafeez was never considered a very big thing since he was very young but this guy was the big thing even before playing internationals and has performed well. So he must have some talent.

 

[srh]

He will score lot of runs but most of those runs will be soft runs. He is kind of becoming like Tendulkar: awesome stats but not a match winner.

 

[Macho Mann]

Okay go drop him and take his place at no. 3 because there is no one else who can do it. Talking as if there are world class number 3 batsmen waiting on the bench. Beggars cant be choosers.

sorry you mistook me, obviously we cant drop him in the semi final but he needs to be dropped after wards

we eventually have to drop hafeez, malik, babar, azhar and bench not ready for such drastic changes

 

[Titan24]

In this tournument he has been out twice and both the times he was not struggling at all and neither a bowler got him out by outperforming him, both the dismissals were shots to be played but he played them in the air and straight to the fielder.

I dont find him struggling at all, these ate just nerves.

Viv Richards also just said that he is much better than his performance at the moment and you never know he might come good in semi final.

 

[Macho Mann]

He will be better than De Kock. Just wait and watch

Playing around Azhar and Hafeez isn't helping his case. Takes too much pressure on himself knowing he has to do most of the work.

pressure is when you are 7 down like sarfraz, i can understand pressure and give benefit of doubt that he just played and was dropped due to pressure

babar was actually the second wicket, and came when pakistan looked really good

dont think pressure was the factor here

 

[htariq25]

He doesn't deserve to be dropped but he's no superstar. He's an ordinary batsman. I still can't get over the fact that a so called professional coach compared him to virat kohli. He's more like kedar jhadav than virat kohli

 

[Titan24]

sorry you mistook me, obviously we cant drop him in the semi final but he needs to be dropped after wards

we eventually have to drop hafeez, malik, babar, azhar and bench not ready for such drastic changes

I definitely agree with dropping hafeez and azhar, not sure about malik but we definitely shoulnt drop Babar ( He is just 22 and has acheived reasonably well), he might have more centuries than the whole Pakistani team combined over the last two years.

You need to stick with talent.

 

[Titan24]

He doesn't deserve to be dropped but he's no superstar. He's an ordinary batsman. I still can't get over the fact that a so called professional coach compared him to virat kohli. He's more like kedar jhadav than virat kohli

He has better stats than Kohli at his age. Kohli also struggled a lot and was comletely out of form once and they didnt drop him.

Look at Kohli series against Pakistan in 2012, three dismissals without scoring anything substantial. England series also proved to be a nightmare for him but look at him now a completely different batsman which no one thouht when he was 22 and even 23.

 

[Macho Mann]

I definitely agree with dropping hafeez and azhar, not sure about malik but we definitely shoulnt drop Babar ( He is just 22 and has acheived reasonably well), he might have more centuries than the whole Pakistani team combined over the last two years.

You need to stick with talent.

im not saying to discard him, just drop him and keep him in the bench or 35 probables

nasir jamshed also has many centuries and once looked promising as well

need to keep rotating players and create competition in this way

babar has been given constant run at constant place, he deserves to go back and sort out his issues

nobody gets anything for free

 

[cricfan14]

This thread is exactly why Pakistan cricket is a failure.

It is rare that we have legitimate young talents. But Pakistan does not want to groom them, only throw them out after a couple of matches - which top teams NEVER do with their young talent.

Luckily, there is enough hope that Babar will come good that even Pakistan won't muck it up by throwing him out.

 

[yasir]

Come on guys, this is again over reaction thread. Pakistan should get rid of Azhar and Hafeez first and farmost. This guy is the only potential premium batsman in the line up, we want to get rid of him

Whole SA batting lineup failed more than once in ICC...Pakistan have players like Azhar, who after playing 70 balls, does not look like going anywhere, we want to keep him and let Babar go

A top order batsman, who never gets going like Azhar/Shezad/Hafeez because they don't have range of shots is much more serious issue...Babar even in AUS, when set scored big runs, which is key, if he played 50-60 balls, he will get going and more than likely will make big score unlike others, who just are not top order player...There is a difference between out of form and lacking quality...Babar is bit out of form, need support, where as Azhar/Hafeez/Shezad simply don't have quality to play in LOIs, most fans don't understand the difference between the two :

 

[Macho Mann]

Come on guys, this is again over reaction thread. Pakistan should get rid of Azhar and Hafeez first and farmost. This guy is the only potential premium batsman in the line up, we want to get rid of him

Whole SA batting lineup failed more than once in ICC...Pakistan have players like Azhar, who after playing 70 balls, does not look like going anywhere, we want to keep him and let Babar go

A top order batsman, who never gets going like Azhar/Shezad/Hafeez because they don't have range of shots is much more serious issue...Babar even in AUS, when set scored big runs, which is key, if he played 50-60 balls, he will get going and more than likely will make big score unlike others, who just are not top order player...There is a difference between out of form and lacking quality...Babar is bit out of form, need support, where as Azhar/Hafeez/Shezad simply don't have quality to play in LOIs, most fans don't understand the difference between the two :

yup he has been eating too much premium benefits lately

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

im not saying to discard him, just drop him and keep him in the bench or 35 probables

nasir jamshed also has many centuries and once looked promising as well

need to keep rotating players and create competition in this way

babar has been given constant run at constant place, he deserves to go back and sort out his issues

nobody gets anything for free

Playing alongside better players always help you. Babar needs better support in the shape of Sharjeel and Haris. He will come good.

 

[Macho Mann]

This thread is exactly why Pakistan cricket is a failure.

It is rare that we have legitimate young talents. But Pakistan does not want to groom them, only throw them out after a couple of matches - which top teams NEVER do with their young talent.

Luckily, there is enough hope that Babar will come good that even Pakistan won't muck it up by throwing him out.

umer akmal ahmed shahzad were also "talented"

 

[hitthestump]

Think he's just been overhyped as usual. The best batsman Pakistan has but only by default because the talent cupboard is so bare. Don't see many others apart from Pakistani's fawning over him, relatively i'd say Hassan Ali is a much bigger find for world cricket.

 

[yasir]

yup he has been eating too much premium benefits lately

People had (and still have) same views about Amir, they will have same views about Hasan(if he fail in few matches), Pakistani fans don't understand the game at times, they are just emotional bunch, no wonder team does not have temperament to bat, its a cultural thing

 

[cricfan14]

umer akmal ahmed shahzad were also "talented"

there is really not a comparison with Akmal/Shahzad in terms of brains, work, talent, and general level-headedness at the crease.

Babar is having a short tough patch. You think 22 year olds never struggle?

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

People had (and still have) same views about Amir, they will have same views about Hasan(if he fail in few matches), Pakistani fans don't understand the game at times, they are just emotional bunch, no wonder team does not have temperament to bat, its a cultural thing

Even the best and most knowledgeable of Pakistani fans lack patience. A player like Steven Smith who has a case to become the greatest test batsman after Bradman would have been thrown out of the loop aur abhi Tando Adam ki sarkon pr hota.

 

[Macho Mann]

there is really not a comparison with Akmal/Shahzad in terms of brains, work, talent, and general level-headedness at the crease.

Babar is having a short tough patch. You think 22 year olds never struggle?

People had (and still have) same views about Amir, they will have same views about Hasan(if he fail in few matches), Pakistani fans don't understand the game at times, they are just emotional bunch, no wonder team does not have temperament to bat, its a cultural thing

ohh come on hasan has been performing in champions trophy consistently when his mates like amir have been failing, he is delivering results at the highest level

same cant be said about babar

i wont count babar as reliable, we need reliable players who are consistent, no matter how young or old, how talented or non talented they are

sarfraz to me is not an exceptional talent, but a smart hardworking player

i would have 50 year old performing batsman over 22 year old who cant seem to find his head in place

with this i sum up my argument

 

[yasir]

ohh come on hasan has been performing in champions trophy consistently when his mates like amir have been failing, he is delivering results at the highest level

same cant be said about babar

i wont count babar as reliable, we need reliable players who are consistent, no matter how young or old, how talented or non talented they are

sarfraz to me is not an exceptional talent, but a smart hardworking player

i would have 50 year old performing batsman over 22 year old who cant seem to find his head in place

with this i sum up my argument

Life is not as cut and dry as you hope it to be...You cannot go by last match stats only, many times in life you have to make a bet, you are not going to get ready made player at 22, there is a reason Pakistan fail to develop batsman, because many at top in Pakistan have same mentality like yours...Seniors should not get lee way rather they should show the way...Right now most of them are failing to do so, and fans are asking for emerging talent on the chopping block, this culture must end!!

 

[pakistani pride]

OK
now watch the youngsta beauty to score back to back 100s and win pak the CT.

Just wait...

 

[Pete Rose]

Guys relax. We will play West Indies soon enough

 

[ask_analyse_act]

the green lipstick boy had 100 games... a boy who goes around taking selfies got 70+ games... these both still lingering into the side... patience is running out for babar lol... so u have longer patience for hafeez, azahr, shehzad and UA but shorter for babar, amir, hassan, haris, sarfraz and shadab... well the performers can also have bad days and series...

warner has never fired on ICC tournaments does that make him a bad player and should patience run out for him .....

 

[Markhor]

Even if you omit his record vs West Indies, he averages 40 at SR of 84 which is good by our standards.

Maybe needs a kick up the backside as is prone to sloppy dismissals. Also needs to eat up fewer dots at the start of an innings as he can take too much time getting set.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Babar is the first complete batsman we've seen come out of Pakistan for a generation. He'll come good soon enough in a big game, fans need to use some common sense rather than make hasty judgements on young players who are still early in their career.