NEWS
Follow UsPakistan Test captain Shan Masood has backed Babar Azam, who is currently in the middle of a spell outside the Test team, to come back a ‘stronger player’ after the ongoing hiatus, all but confirming that the 30-year-old’s absence from red-ball cricket is a temporary one.
Babar started the home Test season slotted in at No.4, but he was left out of the last two Tests against England after he failed to make an impact. Babar perished for 30 & 5 in the first Test in Multan, making it 18 consecutive innings without a Test fifty, after which he was axed from the side alongside two other big names in Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi.
The Pakistan management, though, always maintained that Babar had been ‘rested’, and Masood alluded to the same, backing the talisman to rediscover his old touch after the ‘break’. Notably, the right-hander has been named in Pakistan's white-ball squad for the series against Australia.
"I think this break will do him a great deal of benefit and he'll come back a stronger player," Masood told the BBC Stumped radio programme, reported ESPNcricinfo.
"There's no harm in being pulled out at times and having a breather. He's played a lot of cricket and gone through a lot, and he'll always be one of the main batsmen to play for Pakistan."
The Pakistan Test skipper lavished praise on the 30-year-old and insisted that Babar has all the qualities to become ‘one of the greatest batsmen in Tests’. "I think he's one of the best batsmen in the world. I'm nobody to [say he doesn't have] a future," Masood said.
"He has every quality to be one of the greatest batsmen in Test cricket. He's always there or thereabouts in the rankings. Sometimes, people need a break."
The recent 2-1 series win over England at home was a big series for Masood from a personal standpoint. Post the defeat in Multan, Masood’s record in Tests as skipper read six losses from six games. He was under immense pressure and there was a need to deliver.
Much to his relief, Pakistan came together as a group in the last two Tests and produced a stellar showing to break the winless streak at home.
What worked in the hosts’ favour was the spin-friendly wickets that were prepared, which enabled the duo of Sajid Khan and Noman Ali to wreak havoc and bowl Pakistan to victory.
The newly appointed selection panel has been credited for the ‘spin’ strategy, but Masood insisted that it was a collective decision that led to the hosts rolling out rank turners that helped them triumph over the Three Lions.
“People in Pakistan are quick to give success to individuals. To make one person a hero. I think it's always going to be a collective thing. I'd rather pass credit onto everyone else; it was a collective decision. When we sat down together in our first meeting, we were on the same page. We said 'we need to take 20 wickets, how do we take 20 wickets?'” Masood said.
"We thought playing on a used pitch, playing three spinners - that, we thought, would benefit us greatly. I've worked with three different setups in my tenure so far. My first series in Australia was different, the Bangladesh series was different, and then we've had this group of people that were involved in selection and leadership.
“I've been on the same page with them so far. At the end of the day, it's about Pakistan cricket, and we're very fortunate that the entire collective came together."
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