Salman Butt Blames Team Imbalance for Babar’s Slump

Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has offered insight into the reasons behind Babar Azam’s recent dip in form, highlighting two main factors that have intensified the scrutiny surrounding the star batter.

In a recent interview with a local sports channel, Butt, 39, pointed out that the severe criticism Babar is facing stems from the enormous pressure on him as Pakistan’s top run-scorer and the lack of substantial support from his teammates.

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Butt explained that Babar’s performance issues are not just about his own form but are worsened by the team’s heavy reliance on him. “Babar is clearly Pakistan’s premier batter and one of the most consistent players over the past decade. The issue now is that he is expected to carry the entire team,” Butt observed.

He compared the current situation to earlier times when the team had multiple match-winners, which spread the pressure more evenly and allowed for a more balanced performance.

“In the past, there were 4-5 players who could step up and win matches, which distributed the responsibility and kept everyone’s performance in check. Now, Babar scores the majority of the runs, but there’s no one else to match his level. This imbalance has led to increased scrutiny when he fails to deliver,” Butt noted.

Butt also criticized the team’s focus on power-hitting and aggressive play at the expense of developing solid batting techniques. He pointed out that the current emphasis on aggressive batting has undermined the team’s ability to perform consistently when Babar isn’t in top form.

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“The entire batting approach now prioritizes power-hitting over technical proficiency. This shift has hurt the team’s chances of winning when Babar doesn’t perform well. The lack of technique-focused training has resulted in fewer players who can step up and support him when he struggles,” Butt added.

The former captain emphasized that the issue isn’t just Babar’s form but also the lack of well-rounded players who can contribute effectively. “The real problem is not just Babar’s performance; it’s the failure to develop other players who can provide meaningful support. The focus on aggressive play rather than traditional batting skills has left Babar with little backing when he faces difficulties,” Butt concluded.

In the ongoing Test series against Bangladesh, Babar has been under pressure, scoring only 22 runs in the first innings and 31 runs in the second innings of the first Test so far. This continued struggle has further amplified the focus on his role as the white-ball captain.

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