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"He didn't get big scores, but...," PAK head coach assesses Babar Azam's form before SL ODIs

Debashis Sarangi

Babar Azam flopped in PAK vs SA ODIs [Source: AFP]Babar Azam flopped in PAK vs SA ODIs [Source: AFP]

Pakistan enjoyed stellar success in the ODI series against South Africa, defeating the visitors comprehensively by 2-1. Amid the batting exploits from Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan and Agha Salman, what grabbed the attention was Babar Azam's three consecutive failures in the series. 

Hailed for his class and elegance, Babar Azam managed only 45 runs in the South Africa ODIs, averaging just 15 with the bat. However, Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson is not too much bothered about Babar Azam's form and believes a significant score is just around the corner for him. 

Hesson believes Babar Azam will convert his starts into big scores

Although Babar Azam didn't register impressive numbers against South Africa, Pakistan's head coach Mike Hesson was pretty pleased with the way he batted throughout the tour. 

While speaking to Zainab Abbas and Ramiz Raja, Hesson reckoned Babar looked in rhythm during his stay in the middle and would be hungrier than ever to convert his starts into significant scores in the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka. 

"I’ve been really pleased with the way he played in the Test series. I know he didn’t get big scores, but the way he was moving, striking the ball, and hitting the gaps — he’s really playing nicely at the moment. He’d be as frustrated as anyone, but I don’t mind one or two heading to Rawalpindi in search of big runs. I’m pretty happy with that, and I think Babar will certainly be one of those,” Hesson was quoted as saying by India Today. 

Hesson also believes that Babar Azam was the victim of a few unfortunate dismissals that had an adverse impact on his overall numbers against South Africa. 

"I think some of it is condition-based. You would’ve seen that first one that almost stayed low and got him just when he looked set. Today, he absorbed a bit of pressure, counterattacked, and then unfortunately got run out. He’s in the kind of form where those starts will soon start converting. For us, it’s more about focusing on batting well, getting into good positions, making the right decisions — and the big runs will come,” he concluded. 

Babar Azam has certainly not lived up to the hype in ODIs this year, amassing 379 ODI runs in 2025 at an average of 27.07, a number that is sub-par as per his standards. So, he must be desperate to bounce back and silence his critics with a string of impactful returns in the Sri Lanka series.