Azhar Ali: “Babar should take a six-month break from international cricket”

Image taken by: Bimal Mirwani

Former Pakistan cricketer Azhar Ali has advised Test captain Babar Azam to take a six-month break from international cricket.

Azam is slowly starting to regain his form after a lengthy rough patch, during which he was dropped from the T20I team.

Even though Azam has shown signs of improvement – particularly in the recent two-Test series against the West Indies, where he struck 196 runs at an average of 96.50 – Azhar feels the 31-year-old would benefit by stepping away from the national team and taking the time off to really work on his game.

“Babar should take a six-month break from international cricket,” he was quoted as saying by A Sports.

Azam is currently captaining Pakistan in their three-Test series against England and began by missing the 1st Test in Leeds with a finger injury.

He returned for the 2nd Test at Lord’s and made scores of 8 and 6.

With the men in green 2-0 down, they have revamped a majority of their squad, sending seven players home and bringing in seven more, including five who haven’t played Test cricket before.

On top of that, red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were sacked and replaced by white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke.

The 3rd Test will start on September 9 in Birmingham.

Pakistan Squad for 3rd Test against England in Birmingham: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Razaullah, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper) Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, Ubaid Shah

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