Babar Azam poor form in Test cricket has reflected on the ICC rankings while his teammate Mohammad Rizwan has jumped up to a career-best rating. Babar Azam‘s poor form in Test cricket has taken a toll on his place in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) rankings. The former Pakistan Test captain fell for a two-ball duck in the first innings of their match against Bangladesh and then scored 22 off 50 balls in the second. Pakistan ended up losing a Test match at home against Bangladesh for the first time, eventually falling to a 10-wicket loss.
Babar Azam drops a whopping six places to fall from equal third to ninth following his failure to score big in Rawalpindi. His teammate Mohammad Rizwan, however, gained seven spots and achieved a new career-high rating by moving inside the top 10 at equal 10th following his century in the same match. Rizwan had scored an unbeaten 171 off 239 balls in the first innings in which Pakistan declared on 448/6.
Babar Azam’s fallout from ICC top 5 raises questions about his ability
In the ever-evolving world of cricket, the spotlight often shines brightest on those at the pinnacle of their game. Two such stars, Babar Azam and Virat Kohli, have dominated headlines recently, albeit for contrasting reasons. As the latest ICC Test rankings reveal, Babar’s form has taken a hit, causing a significant drop, while Kohli’s consistency sees him climb the ranks once more.
Babar Azam, once the pride of Pakistan’s batting line-up, has experienced a rough patch in Test cricket, and the impact is evident in the latest ICC rankings. The former Pakistan captain, known for his elegant stroke play and dependable presence at the crease, found himself in unfamiliar territory during the recent Test series against Bangladesh. His performance, or lack thereof, in Rawalpindi was particularly concerning.
In the first innings, Babar Azam was dismissed for a two-ball duck, a rarity for a player of his caliber. The second innings didn’t offer much redemption as he could only muster 22 runs off 50 balls.
This dip in form didn’t just affect Pakistan’s chances in the match, leading to a historic loss to Bangladesh, but also saw Babar Azam plummet six places in the ICC Test rankings, dropping from equal third to ninth. For a player who has often been compared to the likes of Virat Kohli and Steve Smith, this decline is both alarming and disappointing for his fans and critics alike.
Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali feels that Babar slipping down to ninth is a blessing in disguise for the ace batter who will now be hungry to do well.
Basit Ali openly attacks Babar Azam dropping to 9th spot in ICC rankings for Test batters
Basit Ali believes that Babar Azam dropping to ninth place in the ICC Test rankings for batters could prove to be a blessing in disguise for the former Pakistan captain. He suggested that the Pakistani batter will now be itching to put in improved performances.
It is worth mentioning that Babar was earlier placed at No. 3 in the ICC rankings for the red-ball format. However, he suffered a massive plummet following his twin failures in the recently concluded Test series opener against Bangladesh.
Speaking in his latest YouTube video, Basit said about Babar’s ranking:
“The biggest news for me is Babar Azam dropping to No. 9 in the ICC rankings. This is very good for Babar Azam. His ranking should go down in the ODIs as well. He is not the No.1 batter in ODIs. Now Babar will be hungry. If he is still not hungry to perform, it will hurt a lot. The ICC announcing the ranking ahead of the second Test could be a blessing in disguise for Babar.”
Babar Azam bagged a two-ball duck in the first innings of the first Test against Bangladesh. He almost bagged a pair as he was dropped on zero by Litton Das in the second innings. However, he failed to make the most of the missed opportunity, losing his wicket after scoring 22 runs off 50 balls. Bangladesh won the contest by 10 wickets, clinching their maiden Test win over Pakistan.
Basit Ali’s suggestion to Pakistani think tank ahead of 2nd test
Basit Ali talked about a One-Day tournament named Champions Cup, which will be played in Pakistan following the completion of the ongoing two-match Test series against Bangladesh.
He expressed his displeasure over the decision. The cricketer-turned-expert suggested that Pakistan should take a cue from India’s Duleep Trophy and organize more red-ball domestic tournaments.
Basit said:
“There will be a One-Day tournament called the Champions Cup after the Test series. Pakistan have copied the systems of England, Australia and New Zealand. India is right next to us, please copy their system too. You need intelligence in copying as well. Just copy what India is doing. The Duleep Trophy is about to begin. Is it a T20 or One-Day tournament? It is a four-day tournament. They are focused on making their base stronger, which is why they are so successful.”
The Pakistani team will look to salvage some pride by winning the second Test against Bangladesh. The match will be played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from Friday, August 30.