As Babar Azam Slips To 9th In Test Ranking, Ex-Pak Star Says "Should Go Down In ODIs Too"

30.08.2024 - 08:06 sports.ndtv.com

Pakistan star batter Babar Azam slipped to the 9th spot in the latest ICC Test rankings amid a poor run of form in the longest format of the game.

Babar, who hasn't scored a Test century since December 2022, managed scores of 22 and 0 as Pakistan were stunned by Bangladesh in the first Test last week.

However, former Pakistan batter Basit Ali feels that Babar slipping to ninth could prove to be a blessing in disguise for the former Pakistan captain, who will be motivated to do well in the series-deciding second Test against Bangladesh.

Similarly, Basit suggested that Babar's ranking should also go down in the ODIs. "The biggest news for me is Babar Azam dropping to No.

cricket Pakistan Cricket Team Bangladesh Cricket Team Babar Azam Basit Ali Australia New Zealand India Bangladesh Pakistan

Bangladesh pacer Hasan Mahmud ran riot in the morning session of the first Test against India in Chennai on Thursday. After Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto invited the hosts to bat, Mahmud made early inroads with the ball, dismissing three of India's top four batters. He took the wickets of Rohit Sharma (6), Shubman Gill (0) and Virat Kohli (6). However, it was Gill's dismissal which sparked a debate on social media, with fans claiming that the youngster is the Babar Azam of Indian cricket.

"What Can I Say?" Pakistan Star Says 'Entire Pakistan' Was Shocked At Babar Azam Captaincy Re-Appointment

Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim has stated that the decision to reinstate Babar Azam as captain of Pakistan in white-ball cricket came as a surprise to not just everyone in the team, but everyone in the nation. After Pakistan failed to make the semi-finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup under his leadership, Babar Azam had resigned from captaincy in all formats, with pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi taking over. However, less than six months later, Babar was brought back as Pakistan captain right before the 2024 T20 World Cup, where Pakistan fared miserably, getting knocked out in the initial group phase. Imad expressed his shock at the decision of the selectors.

4,4,4,4,4: Babar Azam Soars Back To Form In Champions Cup, Fans Go Berserk

Markhors thrashed Stallions by 126 runs in match No.4 of Champions Cup 2024 on Sunday in Faisalabad. Opting to bat first, Markhors posted a good total of 231 with Iftikhar Ahmed and Salman Agha scoring 60 and 51 runs respectively. Later, the Mohammad Rizwan-led side had a great outing with the ball as well as they bundled out Stallions for 105. Despite being on the losing side, Stallions' senior batter Babar Azam grabbed all the limelight with his batting heroics.

PCB Told To Sack Captain Babar Azam Again, This Player Emerges As Frontrunner

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has rooted for Mohammad Rizwan to replace Babar Azam and become the new skipper of the Men in Green. Babar's time as the white-ball captain could be on the verge of reaching its climax. Recently, reports have started to surface about Rizwan emerging as the top candidate to replace Babar. The reports have led to mixed reactions from fans and former Pakistan cricketers. Basit backed Rizwan to lead the Pakistan team after witnessing him captain Markhors against Stallions in the Champions One-Day Cup.

"Khelte Kam, Bolte Zyada": Pakistan Great Slams Babar Azam. Says This On Virat Kohli

Former Pakistan captain Younis Khan has lashed out at star batter Babar Azam and other players for prioritising personal gains over team goals. Babar has come under the firing line for his batting and leadership of late. He hasn't scored a half-century in his last 16 Test innings, with his form drawing harsh criticism from former players. Younis is the latest to jump the gun as far as criticism of Babar and other top players is concerned. Younis highlighted the team's failure to win games in recent times, saying that Babar and others talk more than they perform.

Virat Kohli To Partner Babar Azam For Same Team In This Tournament? Top Official's Big Statement

The Afro-Asia Cup was a series of charity matches that was played in the mid-2000s between Asian XI and African XI. The first Afro-Asia Cup was played in 2005 while the second was played in 2007. Players like Virender Sehwag, Irfan Pathan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Zaheer Khan, Shoaib Akhtar, Anil Kumble, Shahid Afridi played in the same team for Asia. While, for Africa. Shaun Pollock, Jacques Kallis, Tatenda Taibu played for the same team.