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Babar Azam To Be Rested For New Zealand T20I Series? Mohammad Hafeez Drops Hint

image-lr1wuaxgBabar Azam had a forgettable tour of Australia [AP]

Pakistan cricket team's former captain and esteemed batter, Babar Azam, hit a rough patch as runs from his end of the bat dried up these past few months. Following the World Cup debacle, Azam relinquished captaincy across all formats, hoping for a change in fortune.

As many believed that perhaps the pressure of captaincy had negative implications on Babar Azam's efficacy as a batter, the stylish batter chose to drop that burden to devote complete focus towards his primary role in the team. 

However, captaincy relinquishment had too little impact on his batting performance. During the recently concluded Test series against Australia, the 29-year-old scored a mere 126 runs across six innings. 

As concerns over Babar's form gained momentum, many cricket experts suggested the idea of taking a step back to the former captain. 


Hafeez Reacts To Rumors Of Babar Azam Skipping T20 Series Vs. NZ

Meanwhile, Pakistan's cricket director, Mohammad Hafeez, addressed the issue during a recent press conference. He dropped hints on Babar Azam's unavailability for the upcoming five-game T20 series against New Zealand.

Hafeez reckoned that Babar Azam could be rested for the upcoming T20 series, but only if he deems the rest necessary. The former cricketer highlighted the lack of communication from Azam's end. 

While Hafeez acknowledged the trouble with Babar's batting techniques, he insisted that he could only help a player seeking help. Moreover, regarding the topic of rest, Hafeez further reiterated that Babar needs to come forward to express his feelings and needs. 

"Babar Azam can be rested. Before giving rest to Babar, one has to think about what Babar himself wants," Hafeez said via press conference.

Having said that, Mohammad Hafeez played down major concerns over Babar Azam's sublime form. He says a player of Babar's calibre needs one big inning to return to business. He is confident that the batter will overcome his struggles sooner or later.

"A big innings will restore his confidence. Red ball cricket brings sophistication to the game. A red ball cricketer can play all formats," he added.

Pakistan will square off with New Zealand in a five-game T20 series starting from Jan 12 at Eden Park, Auckland. Shaheen Shah Afridi is set to lead Pakistan in his first assignment as men in green's T20 skipper.