Ponting on Pakistan’s major Babar Azam concern

ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting has suggested Babar Azam could take a page out of Virat Kohli’s book to help rejuvenate his Test form and career, and also had his say on Mohammad Rizwan’s appointment as captain of Pakistan’s white-ball teams.

Following a big defeat in the first Test to England in Multan – Pakistan's third-successive Test defeat at home in the season – the selection panel made the big call of resting star batter Babar, who was in a run-scoring rut with a Test average of 20.7 since 2023, along with pacers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah.

Babar has since returned to a new-look white-ball outfit led by Mohammad Rizwan and Pakistan's team management have reiterated that the decision to rest him from the Test series, which Pakistan eventually won 2-1, was a strategic call amidst a packed international calendar.

Babar impressed in the first ODI against Australia, scoring a brisk 37, and has displayed good touch in the white-ball format, but Ponting remains concerned about his return to the Test outfit.

“The biggest challenge is how they get Babar back into their side,” Ponting said in the ICC Review. “They've got to find a way to get Babar back into form and back into their [Test] team.”

Ponting went on to suggest that Babar should attempt Kohli’s approach in a bid to find his form again.

Earlier this year, Kohli stepped away from the game during India’s home series against England citing personal reasons. After his return, he went on to play a match-winning knock against South Africa in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 – India’s first ICC trophy in 11 years.

Virat Kohli's iconic six from his magnificent knock against Pakistan | T20WC 2022

In 2022, Kohli had taken a similar break from the game after a barren streak with the bat. After his return, he scored his first international hundred since 2019, and delivered breathtaking performances across the formats over the next 12 months, including a match-winning knock against Pakistan in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, and a golden run in the 2023 Men’s Cricket World Cup at home, where he scored a record 765 runs, and was named Player of the Tournament.

“You know, when you look at (Babar’s) numbers, it's been a bit like the stuff that we were talking about with Virat [Kohli] earlier on,” Ponting said. “Sometimes – and I think Virat was on record saying this – that little bit of a break that he had, he took himself away from the game for a while to freshen up and sort out some things that he needed to sort out.

“This might be exactly what Babar needs. Maybe Babar needs to get away for a while and stop trying too hard. Lock the kit bag away for a while, and think about something else and then hopefully come back recharged, because we know at his best he's as good as anyone going around. Hopefully we get to see that in the back half of his career again.”

After the ODI World Cup in 2023, Babar resigned from leadership positions across all formats. Pakistan then switched leaders multiple times, including going back to Babar as the skipper ahead of the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, before recently settling on Mohammad Rizwan.

To Ponting, the decision-making indicated that Pakistan were pushing all buttons till they made the right call.

“They're continually changing leaders, (Shaheen) Afridi one day, Babar one day, Rizwan another day.

“Lots of changes going on around their white-ball stuff. You don't like to see that instability, but I guess they're trying to find something that works and they're willing to make changes until they find something that works and they start getting the right outcomes.”

A lookback at Mohammed Rizwan's vital knock against Australia | T20WC 2021

Pakistan’s latest white-ball captain Rizwan had an encouraging start to his stint in Melbourne, his side running the reigning ODI World champions Australia close before losing the first ODI by two wickets.

Ponting said the ongoing Australia tour would provide a good indication of Rizwan’s leadership skills. “He's the sort of player that I love watching,” said Ponting. “Aggressive player that takes the game on, and wears his heart on his sleeve a little bit.

“I reckon you can see he gets quite emotional out on the field, out on the ground as well, which I think is a good thing. It tends to show that you really care about what you're doing and what your team's trying to achieve.

“So the proof will be in the pudding. I mean, we won't know (until they) give him a decent run at it. They obviously feel he's the right man for here and now. So I think in a few months time, or maybe in a few weeks time, even here in Australia with the one-dayers, the T20Is coming up, we might have a better idea in three or four weeks time.”