Former Pakistan batter Mohammad Yousuf has urged Babar Azam to seek specialised coaching in England or Australia as the 32-year-old struggles for form.
Yousuf wrote on X that Babar should stay out of first-class cricket until he fixes his technical problems. “I don’t think Babar Azam should be playing first-class cricket until he fixes his technical issues through specialised coaching. Struggling in domestic cricket could further harm his confidence and career,” he wrote.
“Send him to an academy in England or Australia. He is still Pakistan’s top player, and with the right guidance and a little effort, he can return to his best. I said this four years ago, and nobody listened. Please listen now,” he added.
Fans on social media backed Yousuf’s advice. One person commented: “Yousaf Bhai i agree with you every single word he definitely need some advice from legends like you but not on Social media,” askinh Yousuf to call Babar and invite him to train in the nets at the NCA.
Another social media user called it a “very valid suggestion”, adding that Babar’s technique may have suffered when he was pushed to become a T20 slogger. The user also asked Yousuf to help Babar get rid of his trigger movement, which “serves absolutely no purpose other than making him unaware of where his stumps are.”
One reply said,“Actually good advice, FC cricket will fix nothing.”
Babar had a poor ODI tri-series against England and Sri Lanka. He scored 118 runs in five matches at an average of 23.60 and a strike rate of 74.21, without a half-century. His scores were 45, 34, 10, 29 and a duck in the final against Sri Lanka.
He has scored one ODI century since his 151 against Nepal in September 2023. That century came against Sri Lanka in November 2025, his 20th in the format, after a wait of more than two years. He then scored a half-century against Australia in Rawalpindi in May 2026 and has not passed 50 in ODIs since.
Babar has not scored a Test century since his 161 against New Zealand in Karachi in December 2022. He made 97 runs in four innings in this year’s Test series against England, with scores of 76, 8, 6 and 7. He then played domestic cricket to find form and scored 58 runs in four first-class innings.
Babar will play for Lahore Whites in the 2026-27 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, which starts on November 3 at the Diamond Cricket Ground in Islamabad.
