[VIDEOS] Babar Azam's inability to play spin is a matter of concern

[jnaveen1980]

I am not following Babar's career from the start. Was he good against spin at any point of his career. For instance Virat Kohli was one of the best player against spin. When Indians had trouble picking Mendis at the start he was authoritative. ALso he was probably the most comfortable against Ajmal coming down the wicket meeting the ball every time. He was good until pandemic. Then all went haywire. Is it the case with babar. Was he good at some point and suddenly lost it?

 

[Farabi]

I am not following Babar's career from the start. Was he good against spin at any point of his career. For instance Virat Kohli was one of the best player against spin. When Indians had trouble picking Mendis at the start he was authoritative. ALso he was probably the most comfortable against Ajmal coming down the wicket meeting the ball every time. He was good until pandemic. Then all went haywire. Is it the case with babar. Was he good at some point and suddenly lost it?

He was better than this!

 

[kingusama92]

He has major technical and confidence issues against spin.

His inability to sweep makes it difficult to smother the spin and he's too dependent on reading it off the pitch. It's to the point he's almost pre-meditating his shots to create time. The leg stump guard is supposed to help in counteracting LBWs but this is assuming you're stretching out and have a stable understanding of length.

It's sad to say while he's supremely gifted, Babar hasn't developed properly.

Not sure if it's ego or the people around him but he has rarely added new shots to his arsenal. By now, he should have mastered the sweep shot similar to how Root has added it to his repertoire.

 

[jnaveen1980]

He was better than this!

I remember his couple of dismissals against Kuldeep before. He was totally bamboozled. Then again Kuldeep has bamboozled every top batsman. Jayasuriya has a wood over him if i am right. Looking at his career He has gotten out 35 times to spinners in Tests. 8 times bowled + 10 times leg before. That is 18 times bowled or leg before out of 35 times. That means he is not reading the line well.

 

[jnaveen1980]

He has major technical and confidence issues against spin.

His inability to sweep makes it difficult to smother the spin and he's too dependent on reading it off the pitch. It's to the point he's almost pre-meditating his shots to create time. The leg stump guard is supposed to help in counteracting LBWs but this is assuming you're stretching out and have a stable understanding of length.

It's sad to say while he's supremely gifted, Babar hasn't developed properly.

Not sure if it's ego or the people around him but he has rarely added new shots to his arsenal. By now, he should have mastered the sweep shot similar to how Root has added it to his repertoire.

Steve smith style on the fly technical adjustments is not everybody's cup of tea. He has to start using the feet if he wants to improve. But if he plays more on these dry wickets his game against spin will only get worse. He will get even more self-doubts.

 

[kingusama92]

Steve smith style on the fly technical adjustments is not everybody's cup of tea. He has to start using the feet if he wants to improve. But if he plays more on these dry wickets his game against spin will only get worse. He will get even more self-doubts.

Definitely agree.

It's hard to make adjustments now and it should have been done when he was younger in the middle of his development phase.

Using his feet is the best strategy as it's his next best option to smother the spin or it might come to the point where he's going to have to be benched for home Tests.

 

[BouncerGuy]

I think Babar is playing on BACK FOOT too much... If you see most of his dismissal, there is a similar pattern. He is hesitant and not trying to take on spinners instead he is just playing on back foot most of the times.

 

[BouncerGuy]

and yet again...Babar falls to a spinner... This guy just cannot play spin... Who is the batting coach?? Who can solve his problem???

 

[Kianig89]

Handicapped against spin

Adil Rashid, Rashid Khan, Santner, Kuldeep Yadav, Zampa all are thriving against Babar. So what next a mega tournament at home surely Babar has to make a comeback and play spinners with authority , the haters are already waiting with pebbles and stones. It is he , Babar who has to shut them down.

Can he do it in front of home crowd we will find out soon. Basically it's bust or Babar Azam no more pretty 20s and 30s, he has to play big innings and a purposeful innings.

The world is watching you

 

[BouncerGuy]

Problem is still there. I wonder why no coach is working on his weakness against spin.

Gets dismissed by a local net bowler during practice game.

View attachment WhatsApp Video 2025-03-22 at 07.15.36_97a06e6d.mp4

 

[BouncerGuy]

And the problem continues.... babar needs to think hard now... No more excuses left for him

 

[Rana]

But sarr!

I thought he’s to solution for T20 World Cup sarr???

 

[Savak]

He has been averaging 23 in test cricket for the past 2 years. For how long will he be picked on reputation? And he still has the nerve not to play first class cricket

 

[pakistani pride]

Done and dusted. At best he was a minnow basher in ODIs.

 

[Savak]

Rizwan atleast has a sweep shot in his armoury to disturb the spinners and can use his feet, hit that inside out lofted drive over cover. Even Salman Ali Agha relies on the paddle sweep to upset the spinners.

Babar in comparison can't do anything if the wicket is conducive to spin. He knew the PCB is now banking on spin to win matches at home and he hasn't done any work at all on his batting in his spare time.

Absolutely zero work ethic

 

[rpant_gabba]

And the problem continues.... babar needs to think hard now... No more excuses left for him

View attachment 158685

He hasn't reached his peak yet. Ask the Resident Runner.

 

[Rana]

Needs to make a decision

What kind of player does he see himself as?

He’s got ZERO interest in Test cricket

 

[pakistani pride]

Rizwan atleast has a sweep shot in his armoury to disturb the spinners and can use his feet, hit that inside out lofted drive over cover. Even Salman Ali Agha relies on the paddle sweep to upset the spinners.

Babar in comparison can't do anything if the wicket is conducive to spin. He knew the PCB is now banking on spin to win matches at home and he hasn't done any work at all on his batting in his spare time.

Absolutely zero work ethic

Cant even work on his fitness, forget batting. Dude is so thin and has a belly!

 

[TheSultan]

But sarr!

I thought he’s to solution for T20 World Cup sarr???

Bro - he was gonna save us from Kuldeep in the final - if only… sigh

 

[rpant_gabba]

When Babar Azam last scored a Test century, Indian duo Shubman Gill had 2, and Yashasvi Jaiswal was yet to make his debut!

Since then, Babar Azam remains at 9, Shubman Gill has scored 8, and Jaiswal has 7 so far in the list!

 

[The_KING]

Why is he still playing test cricket? At this point, he should only play ODIs, and even in that format, his place should be under threat.

Seriously, how can an Asian batsman be so poor against spin? I understand if a non Asian batsman was abymal against spin, but I expect every Asian batsman to be somewhat competent against spin. The fact that Babar is so poor against spin shows how poor his work ethic and mentality are.

 

[pakistani pride]

Why is he still playing test cricket? At this point, he should only play ODIs, and even in that format, his place should be under threat.

Seriously, how can an Asian batsman be so poor against spin? I understand if a non Asian batsman was abymal against spin, but I expect every Asian batsman to be somewhat competent against spin. The fact that Babar is so poor against spin shows how poor his work ethic and mentality are.

In ODIs all he does is score in JAMODIs. I think his highest score is 158 in ODIs, just check how he started that knock.

 

[The_KING]

In ODIs all he does is score in JAMODIs. I think his highest score is 158 in ODIs, just check how he started that knock.

I am not saying that Babar is a world-beater in ODIs, in fact, he is far from that. All I meant to say was that if Babar is to play any format for Pakistan, it has to be ODIs as that is his best format. But as I said that, even in that format, his place should be under threat.

 

[shaz619]

Why is he still playing test cricket? At this point, he should only play ODIs, and even in that format, his place should be under threat.

Seriously, how can an Asian batsman be so poor against spin? I understand if a non Asian batsman was abymal against spin, but I expect every Asian batsman to be somewhat competent against spin. The fact that Babar is so poor against spin shows how poor his work ethic and mentality are.

Spot on, he’s a mentally weak fella and that showed during his captaincy, he feasted on flat pitches and prioritised padding his stats and we saw all those dreadful Tests under his reign where we got beat by everyone & their dog, there was no juice in those pitches and he worked himself into a shoot. Now he can’t handle any kind of turn at all, and he wont work hard in FC cricket to rectify that.

He can score runs in the top order in ODI’s, but that’s largely due to flat pitches, and even then, he doesn’t have the extra gear to crack on after a start & in the middle overs he’s a sitting duck if the wicket is slow and if we have to chase a big total; he will go into his shell.

Words can’t describe what a letdown his career has ended up being.

 

[The_KING]

Spot on, he’s a mentally weak fella and that showed during his captaincy, he feasted on flat pitches and prioritised padding his stats and we saw all those dreadful Tests under his reign where we got beat by everyone & their dog, there was no juice in those pitches and he worked himself into a shoot. Now he can’t handle any kind of turn at all, and he wont work hard in FC cricket to rectify that.

He can score runs in the top order in ODI’s, but that’s largely due to flat pitches, and even then, he doesn’t have the extra gear to crack on after a start & in the middle overs he’s a sitting duck if the wicket is slow and if we have to chase a big total; he will go into his shell.

Words can’t describe what a letdown his career has ended up being.

I genuinely thought that he was going to be Pakistan's greatest ever batsman. But he has been such a letdown. During his peak, he was happy to statpad on flat pitches against 3rd string bowling attacks. He never bothered to work on his weaknesses, and now that he is past his peak and has let himself go from a fitness point of view, he isn't even good enough to feast on weak bowling attacks.

He has to go down as one of the biggest disappointments in Pakistan cricket history.

 

[mominsaigol]

I genuinely thought that he was going to be Pakistan's greatest ever batsman. But he has been such a letdown. During his peak, he was happy to statpad on flat pitches against 3rd string bowling attacks. He never bothered to work on his weaknesses, and now that he is past his peak and has let himself go from a fitness point of view, he isn't even good enough to feast on weak bowling attacks.

He has to go down as one of the biggest disappointments in Pakistan cricket history.

Couldn't escape the Akmal Genes

 

[The_KING]

Couldn't escape the Akmal Genes

I keep forgetting that he is related to the Akmals. But just like Umar before him, Babar too has wasted his talent.

 

[Rana]

I keep forgetting that he is related to the Akmals. But just like Umar before him, Babar too has wasted his talent.

Umar and Kamran were never as mentally weak as Babar. They’ve got some excellent innings to their names which Babar can only dream of playing

 

[sweep_shot]

Umar and Kamran were never as mentally weak as Babar. They’ve got some excellent innings to their names which Babar can only dream of playing

Umar Akmal and Kamran Akmal were match-winners.

 

[hur rizvi]

If Umar got as many chances as babar in tests he would have ended up with similar stats with more impact

 

[hur rizvi]

Babars lack of work ethic and his lack of hunger to grind in red ball cricket has been the biggest disappointment

If he had hunger he could easily have secured county contract and spent lots of times building his red ball game.

A mediocre talent like Shan Masod and even Abdullah shafiq have chosen to spend time in county circuit

 

[tiger_khan]

In comparison to Azhar Ali in same innings

View attachment 106808

Cardinal rule of higher level betting... don't play with open chest. Stay as aide-on as possible. Particularly on a pitch with lateral movement.

Bad head-position and poor foot-planting are by-products of open-chested batting

His head can't follow the line of the ball after pitching.

 

[pakistani pride]

Umar and Kamran were never as mentally weak as Babar. They’ve got some excellent innings to their names which Babar can only dream of playing

Kamran has 2 test innings vs India which are bigger then his (Babar) whole career.

 

[saimayubera]

Kamran has 2 test innings vs India which are bigger then his (Babar) whole career.

Without those 2 innings India would have won all 4 of the test series instead of the 2 they did.

 

[mon858]

Kind of sad seeing where Babar stands today. It makes someone like Imam who always had huge parchi tag look like a thorough professional. Look how he just went played county, scored runs and probably all the while did some work on his batting and it shows.
Babar once dropped could have done something about his game against spin. Or played lot of first class , or county or something.
Instead, you look at the chart of batters since 2023 and his name was at the bottom from what I recall in the forecast.
Really sad to be honest. He had gift of timing and lot of backing but he has drifted away. Lets see if we will ever see a Babar 2.0 or not. My guess today is no.

 

[Caved12]

For over five plus years, he handled spin just fine, averaging close to 50 or more across all three formats. It’s unrealistic to assume he didn’t face quality spin during that period, he did, and he performed well. What we’re seeing now isn’t a sudden technical flaw, but a mental block that has developed over time. A few failures sparked widespread noise about his supposed weakness against spin, and unfortunately, the PCB didn’t manage the situation well. Instead of supporting him, they amplified the issue by publicly reinforcing the narrative that he struggles against spin and must fix it.

In cricket, when something becomes a mental hurdle mid career, it’s far more dangerous than any technical deficiency. He now seems burdened by the fear of failure, especially against spin, which leads to nervousness and poor decision making. This isn’t about ability, it’s about confidence.

What he needs is reassurance, not exclusion. He needs to be told, “We back you. You’re not going to be dropped while you're working through this.” That support alone can help ease the mental burden. Coaches everywhere agree that cricket is as much a mental game as it is technical. With the right guidance and belief, a player can rediscover clarity and composure, even in tough phases.

 

[hoshiarpurexpress]

When Babar Azam last scored a Test century, Indian duo Shubman Gill had 2, and Yashasvi Jaiswal was yet to make his debut!

Since then, Babar Azam remains at 9, Shubman Gill has scored 8, and Jaiswal has 7 so far in the list!

These guys will overtake Babar is no time. These 2 are future greats.Babar is a nobody.

 

[TheSultan]

For over five plus years, he handled spin just fine, averaging close to 50 or more across all three formats. It’s unrealistic to assume he didn’t face quality spin during that period, he did, and he performed well. What we’re seeing now isn’t a sudden technical flaw, but a mental block that has developed over time. A few failures sparked widespread noise about his supposed weakness against spin, and unfortunately, the PCB didn’t manage the situation well. Instead of supporting him, they amplified the issue by publicly reinforcing the narrative that he struggles against spin and must fix it.

In cricket, when something becomes a mental hurdle mid career, it’s far more dangerous than any technical deficiency. He now seems burdened by the fear of failure, especially against spin, which leads to nervousness and poor decision making. This isn’t about ability, it’s about confidence.

What he needs is reassurance, not exclusion. He needs to be told, “We back you. You’re not going to be dropped while you're working through this.” That support alone can help ease the mental burden. Coaches everywhere agree that cricket is as much a mental game as it is technical. With the right guidance and belief, a player can rediscover clarity and composure, even in tough phases.

I’m not a big fan of the PCB, but exactly did they do to amplify Babar’s spin issue?

You can’t just blame the PCB. Or anyone else.

Someone having as horrific a run as Babar needs to be treated harshly, there’s nothing wrong with it. He either mans up or gives up. How bad does he really want it. Looking at him, not bad enough.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Handling the spin quite well today... Staying on top of the ball and playing on merit.

 

[Caved12]

Good to see Babar looking assured against spin today, used his feet well and looked in control at the crease.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Good to see Babar looking assured against spin today, used his feet well and looked in control at the crease.

Yeah.. He looked better but still it was not enough.., He needs to do more.. He is still getting out on same balls... Bring the ball back in and he is out.

 

[Caved12]

Yeah.. He looked better but still it was not enough.., He needs to do more.. He is still getting out on same balls... Bring the ball back in and he is out.

Good point! Yeah, he still has work to do, but I’m sure he’ll be back to being that scoring machine in all formats soon. Mark my words.

 

[Snowflake]

Yeah.. He looked better but still it was not enough.., He needs to do more.. He is still getting out on same balls... Bring the ball back in and he is out.

From what I have seen of him, he comes across as someone who doesn't really accept personal shortcomings that easily. Be it strike rate issue or his issue with playing spin.

Given that kind of mindset, I wouldn't be surprised if he hasn't identified this as an area for improvement in his game.

 

[salman24]

Highest scorer in the 2nd innings.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Proved everyone wrong by getting out to fast bowler

 

[tiger_khan]

I’m not a big fan of the PCB, but exactly did they do to amplify Babar’s spin issue?

You can’t just blame the PCB. Or anyone else.

Someone having as horrific a run as Babar needs to be treated harshly, there’s nothing wrong with it. He either mans up or gives up. How bad does he really want it. Looking at him, not bad enough.

At this level you can't blame the board

It's a personal thing

No board had a gun on Kohli's head. That guy alone changed the fitness standards of Indian cricket

Babar was never a great player of spin bowling. Unrealistic to expect him to score big runs in these conditions.

The real problem is that he is not scoring off the fast bowlers for a couple of years

I won't be surprised if he has something going on in his personal life, which is affecting his game. One doesn't stay out of form for 24 months

If I were a friend of Babar, I would have advised him to skip this series (spinning conditions) and restart from an away series

Unfortunately, at this level you always have more professional antagonists than friends around you

 

[Caved12]

Absolutely hilarious, a poster is saying you can’t blame the board, when it’s literally the board that made a complete mess of things. They brought him back as captain, then removed him right after the World Cup, kept changing coaches again and again, dropped him from Tests mid-series, and then publicly said he was dropped because he needs to improve his strike rate and play spin better. Both Hesson and Aaqib mentioned multiple times that if he works on those areas, they will bring him back.

You just can’t treat your best player like that, especially when he’s already going through a tough phase and out of form. PCB has a long history of mismanagement and corruption, and they’ve destroyed the confidence and development of so many players. Everyone knows they specialize in ruining their own talent.

And then in the same breath, this guy says it’s Babar’s personal issues affecting his game, so apparently personal issues can impact form, but the endless mismanagement, instability, and public humiliation can’t? What a joke.

It’s not about making excuses for Babar, he’s a proven, world-class player who’s clearly struggling right now. This is just about identifying what could be contributing to his slump and how he can come out of it. But haters love to twist things, nitpick, and shut down any valid discussion just to push their agenda.

At the end of the day, Babar himself knows he can’t rely on any excuse, he just has to dig deep and work extremely hard to bounce back.

 

[tiger_khan]

I just saw Babar's dismissal today


That was really unlucky

Getting LBW out on an umpire's call for the impact outside of the off-stump is always unlucky

The first impression of mine without the replay was that the impact was outside the line

Gone are the days when umpires used to give the benefit of doubt to batsmen

I wouldn't blame Babar for this dismissal. He did his best to get outside the off-stump. On any other day, an umpire would have given him not out and his call would have stayed.