London, August 30: Former Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Yousuf has sharply criticized the “so-called coaches” for failing to address the weaknesses of Test captain Babar Azam amid his ongoing struggles.
Babar has been facing challenges in Test cricket, having not scored a century since December 2022. He has come close multiple times but has yet to convert those opportunities into a hundred. His repeated dismissals in similar ways have drawn even more scrutiny. During the first innings of the second Test against England, Babar fell victim to his weaknesses once again. Commentator Nasser Hussain analyzed his patterns of dismissal, spanning from England to the West Indies.
In response to this analysis, Yousuf expressed his disappointment with the coaching staff. He stated that they have not allowed Babar to work on his deficiencies, which could have been easily rectified. Sharing a video of Babar on his social media platform X, Yousuf remarked, “I warned about this a few years ago, but unfortunately, some so-called coaches around Babar Azam and other players did not let him address issues that could have been easily resolved. This failure has led Pakistan cricket to its current state of decline.”
Yousuf labeled these coaches as “poison for the game” and continued his critique. He wrote, “These coaches are detrimental to the sport. They lack vision, hinder progress, and misguide even the most talented players. If our cricketers do not learn whom to listen to, their careers will end prematurely.”
“The poor technique of our players has been glaringly exposed from Bangladesh to England. What could have been fixed years ago has now become a significant weakness, weakening Pakistan cricket and causing struggles on the international stage.” Babar’s poor form coincides with Pakistan’s ongoing difficulties, having lost 9 out of their last 10 Test matches played away from home, with only one victory against the West Indies.