Babar Azam's Career Crossroads: A Star's Struggle

Babar Azam, once hailed as the shining star of Pakistan cricket, finds himself at a crossroads as he approaches his 30th birthday. Just two years ago, he was celebrated as the captain of the national team and the top-rated batsman across all formats. However, the recent decision by the Pakistan Cricket Board to exclude him from the squad for the remaining Tests against England marks a significant downturn in his career. This decision comes after a troubling stretch where Babar has not managed to score fifty runs in his last 18 Test innings.

This is a notable moment in Babar's career, as it is the first time he has been dropped from the national team since he made his white-ball debut against Zimbabwe in 2015 and his Test debut against the West Indies a year later. Babar first captured the cricketing world’s attention in 2016 when he scored three consecutive centuries in an ODI series against the West Indies. His rise continued as he replaced Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli as the world number one ODI batsman five years later, a position he still holds, despite a brief period of being dethroned.

Despite his continued success in limited-overs cricket, Babar's performance in Test matches has been concerning. He currently ranks fourth among Twenty20 batsmen, but his struggles in the longer format have seen him drop out of the world’s top 10 Test batsmen. Babar's journey began at the young age of 13 when he served as a ball boy during a Test match against South Africa in Lahore in 2007, where he idolized AB de Villiers. His talent shone through as he played in the 2010 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand, where he was the leading run-scorer for Pakistan.

His leadership skills were evident when he captained the U19 team in Australia two years later, again finishing as the top run-scorer. Babar made his senior team debut in 2015 and quickly became a modern-day great, often compared to Kohli. His partnership with Mohammad Rizwan in T20 matches has been particularly fruitful, amassing 3,268 runs in just 70 innings, the highest for any pair in the format. Babar was instrumental in Pakistan's historic T20 World Cup victory over India in 2021 and delivered a remarkable innings of 196 against Australia in 2022, which is regarded as one of the greatest innings in Pakistan's cricket history.

However, the pressures of captaincy, especially during challenging times for the team, have taken a toll on Babar's performance. Following Pakistan's disappointing exit from the 50-over World Cup in India last November, where they suffered a historic loss to Afghanistan, Babar stepped down from his captaincy across all formats. After a change in the Pakistan Cricket Board's leadership in April, he was reinstated as the white-ball captain but resigned again earlier this month.

As Babar Azam celebrates his 30th birthday, it is a moment of reflection for both him and his fans. The cricketing world is watching closely to see if he can reclaim his form and rise back to the top. His journey serves as a reminder that even the brightest stars can face challenges, and it is how they respond to these setbacks that truly defines their legacy. For Babar, the road ahead may be tough, but with his talent and determination, there is always hope for a comeback.