Former cricketer Basit Ali has called the side to rest the star batter Babar Azam for the second test of the West Indies tour of Pakistan 2025.
Pakistan won the series opener by 127 runs at the same venue to take an unassailable 1-0 lead in the best-of-two affair. Babar Azam struggled in both innings with scores of 8 and 5 at Multan.
Pakistan has already been eliminated from contention for the WTC finals. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Basit Ali feels that resting Babar for the second test might be ideal to ensure his new-found confidence stays intact.
“You are ruining his confidence when he has just found his rhythm. If they play, what will happen? Will Pakistan play in the WTC final? No. He should rest. If you want to make him play, then prepare good pitches,” said Basit Ali.
“Babar and Mohammad Rizwan should be rested…for the Champions Trophy. If the pitch for the second Test is like the first one, their confidence will drop. Babar is struggling to score runs. He found his rhythm after South Africa. He scored in ODIs and Tests.”
Babar Azam has been struggling with his form in tests with no fifties since the beginning of 2023. But he has recorded 50+ scores in three out of the four innings in South Africa despite Pakistan’s 0-2 series defeat.
Babar Azam has faced a sidelined in home tour against England last year after a defeat in the opener match. Babar missed the final two tests of the series before returning to South Africa tour.
Pakistn turned things around in Babar’s absence to win the second and third tests to clinch a 2-1 series win against England. After the series opener, the new selection committee of Pakistan took strict action against Babar, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah.
The second test of the pakistan-West Indies tests will begin on January 25 at Multan Cricket Stadium.
