'I don't think Babar Azam should be playing' - Mohammad Yousuf urges academy stint in England or Australia for Pakistan star

Former Pakistan batter Mohammad Yousuf has publicly called for Babar Azam to be pulled out of domestic cricket and sent to a specialist coaching academy in England or Australia to address what he described as unresolved technical problems.

Yousuf posted his appeal on X, drawing attention to a concern he says he first raised approximately four years ago without any response from those in charge.

"I don't think #BabarAzam should be playing first class cricket until he fixes his technical issues through specialized coaching. Struggling in domestic cricket could further harm his confidence and career. Send him to an academy in #England or #Australia. He is still Pakistan's top player, and with the right guidance and a little effort, he can return to his best. I said this four years ago, and nobody listened. Please listen now," wrote Yousuf on X.

Yousuf's case for pulling Babar out of domestic cricket

Yousuf's call comes at a time when Babar's form has been a subject of widespread discussion within Pakistan cricket circles. The 32-year-old batter, who was once ranked No. 1 in ICC rankings across all three formats simultaneously, has found it difficult to rediscover that level of output since 2024.

In the ODI tri-series involving England and Sri Lanka in October 2026, Babar managed 34 runs in Pakistan's second match at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on October 20, dismissed by Will Jacks. He was then caught for a duck off a thick outside edge in the tri-series final against Sri Lanka. Across seven ODI innings in 2026 before that final, he had accumulated 243 runs at an average of 34.71.

Babar's domestic situation has also been unsettled. In September 2026, he returned to first-class cricket after a seven-year absence from the format, requesting the PCB to facilitate his inclusion in a domestic side to stay connected with red-ball cricket. The PCB arranged his participation with OGDCL in the President's Trophy. However, he had not been included in any of the eight squads the PCB had originally announced for the President's Trophy and President's Cup earlier that season.

Earlier in 2026, he had also withdrawn from the National T20 Championship, having initially been named in the Lahore Whites squad, to work with coaches on what was described as flaws in his batting technique ahead of PSL 2026. A PCB source confirmed that decision was agreed between Babar and team management, though the identity of the coaches involved was not officially disclosed.

Babar missed the series opener at Headingley during England's Test series due to injury, with his last confirmed Test appearance recorded on September 9, 2026 against England. His last T20 international was on February 24, 2026 against England.