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Babar Azam’s century drought: Is his elite status in international cricket under threat?

Prachi Rajan

No century since August 2023 for Babar Azam (Source: AFP)No century since August 2023 for Babar Azam (Source: AFP)

The face of modern-day Pakistani cricket, Babar Azam, has made his return to the international squad after a long absence in the ongoing Test match series against South Africa. Playing with a lot of expectations on his shoulders, the former Pakistan captain, in the opening match, got out scoring 23 off 48 in first innings and 42 off 72 in the third. 

Being the star boy of Pakistan cricket, Babar Azam is often compared with the contemporary greats of his time like Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, and Joe Root. He is even considered the unofficial 5th member of the ‘Fab 4’ of cricket. 

While he did win hearts initially with his elegant strokeplay, at present, a concerning form and inconsistency have become synonymous with his name.

Babar Azam's century drought: Striking evidence of his inconsistency

Babar has not scored an international century since 30 August 2023. His last ton came when he made 151 against Nepal in the Asia Cup. Notably, as of 14 October 2025, it has been over two years, 775 days to be precise, since that milestone. 

On top of that, Babar Azam's last Test century came back in December 2022, against New Zealand at the National Stadium, Karachi. Notably, for a player of Babar’s class, this is a significantly surprising drought.

Babar Azam form comparison over the years

Stats
Jan 1, 2021 – Aug 31, 2023
Sep 1, 2023 – Oct 14, 2025
Matches10765
Runs53042204
Average47.7831.48
50s3718
100s140

Note: Stats include ODI, T20I, and Tests. 

Not only is there a significant dip in the number of centuries for Babar Azam, but also a serious decline in form for the batter. As noted in the above-mentioned table, Babar’s average is also marred by his inconsistency across all formats since his last international century. 

While he has managed to score between 30s and 70s quite a few times, the conversion rate, turning thirties into 50s and seventies into hundreds, has evidently dropped. This, in context, is very striking, considering the fact that earlier in his career, he was known for his ability to build long innings. 

Possible reasons for Babar Azam’s decline in form 

Playing at the highest stage in this day and age comes with its own pros and cons. Apart from that, many factors are responsible for Babar Azam's declining numbers. Take a look: 

  1. Opposition teams have studied Babar Azam closely and are now better prepared with tactical and statistical plans to counter him.
  2. Earlier in his career, Babar excelled on flat pitches, where his technique and timing flourished.
  3. With increased exposure and varied conditions, his predictability has grown, and teams have started to exploit his weaknesses.
  4. In an effort to adapt to the modern game, Babar has modified his stance — from a side-on to a more open setup.
  5. Babar’s return to T20s and the shortest format seems to be driven more by pressure than form, and it’s exposing his vulnerabilities further.
  6. Lastly, in his most recent outing, in the 1st Test match against South Africa his vulnerabilities against spin bowlers and nip backers was further exposed. 

Hence, once known for his elegant, composed batting, he is now battling both form and perception as he tries to regain his place as a modern great.  

Azam’s elite status is under threat

Babar Azam's performance since his last international century in August 2023 is a pronounced and loud reflection of his poor conversion rate. Babar, who is only 30 years old, needs to address this inflection point in his career. 

On top of that, for Babar, his inability to convert starts into big scores over such a long period raises concerns. With younger players stepping up and the competition at the international level only getting tougher, the expectations on Babar’s shoulders are heavier than ever. 

'Enough chances given': PCB turns cold on Babar Azam 

"I think this team is doing OK. They have given enough chances to Babar and Rizwan as openers for 4 or 5 years. They did well, but not as well, not as consistently, and hence the new boys,” said Pakistan veteran cricketer Wasim Akram on Sony Sports, ahead of the Asia Cup 2025. 

The Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision to exclude Babar from the Asia Cup 2025 squad and the preceding T20I series against West Indies was already a clear signal for him to understand the need of the hour. PCB selector, Aqib Javed, without mincing his words, stated that the selected team members were in better form than Babar, and he needs to prove his worth to return to the T20I side.  

For him to realise that the century drought and declining form are more than just temporary setbacks is as important for Pakistan’s cricketing future, which is pretty dependent on pillars like Babar and Shaheen Afridi.