TimesofIndia.com in Kandy: A post from four years ago by Herschelle Gibbs, a former South African batsman who played alongside Babar Azam for Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), has gone viral on social media. Gibbs encouraged Baber to add a few more offensive shots to his game to increase his strike rate. In a reply to one of his fans, he criticized Babar’s reluctance to seek advice. “He is so wrapped up in his own world with his batting that he is not open to many suggestions,” Gibbs wrote.In every Pakistani online session, Babar cuts out a lone figure. He bats with pads on, but the only cricketer who approaches him for advice is Abrar Ahmad, who made his international debut under Babar. For Shadab Khan, Babar is still the skipper as he keeps calling him ‘skip’ before bowling into the nets.

Babar is still the leader of the group, but he has lost his aura due to his inability to evolve his game. He has played in four T20 World Cups but has not hit a six since the 10-wicket win against India in Dubai 2021 when Varun Chakravarthy was the bowler.In 2025, he was left out of the T20I set-up as coach Mike Hesson stated that Babar needed a good performance in the Big Bash League (BBL) to earn a recall. Babar was recalled after Pakistan lost to India in the Asia Cup. However, his performance with the Sydney Sixers was limited to just 202 runs with a strike rate of 103.06 in 11 innings, sparking a heated debate over his inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad.Fans, coaches and ex-cricketers have all attacked him harshly.Also read | Chasing Virat Kohli with Pakistan on his back: Sahibzada Farhan’s goal in the T20 World CupDespite the criticism, the 31-year-old remains the top scorer in T20Is with 4,571 runs. No batsman in the 21-year history of the format has hit more than 50 hits. The number of times he has done it is 39 times, and he has achieved 300 hits. His 475 four-balls are the most of any batter. But the most important T20 numbers paint a grimmer picture. His strike rate of 128.18 takes away the all-time right from him and is the lowest of any batsman to have scored at least 3,500 runs in this format.

In the pre-match press conference ahead of Pakistan’s elimination match against New Zealand, Hesson did not hold back when referring to Babar’s power play strike rate and backed up his position with numbers. “Babar is well aware that his strike rate in the power play in the T20 World Cup was less than 100,” Hesson said.Babar has scored 187 runs off 217 balls in the power play through his four innings in the T20 World Cup. His strike rate of 86.17 is the lowest among batters who faced at least 200 throws in that phase.Babar did not even bat in his newly appointed No. 4 position against Namibia. Instead, Khawaja Nafai and Shadab Khan were sent off, making it the first time in Babar’s T20I career that he did not bat.After the game against Namibia, Shadab defended the decision and spoke about the clarity within the group. “Babar knows exactly when his role comes into play. The message is clear for every player. Teams change depending on the conditions and that is what is happening now,” he said.

A few days later, Hesson further explained Babar’s role. “After the Asia Cup, we brought Babar back for a specific role. We wanted stability in the midfield and he gave us that. Babar wasn’t the best option when he reached 12th the other day. We had players who were better suited at the end. Babar understands that. He understands his skill set and he knows when others can execute the role more effectively,” Hesson said.While playing the nets in Kandy on a humid Monday afternoon, Babar was seen batting mainly against the left-arm spin of Mohammad Nawaz and local net bowlers. Hesson was always nearby, always talking. Instead of the wild slog he tried against Axar Patel in Colombo, Babar played with more spin and hit a few elegant inside-out shots.Power was not Babar’s game. He has mastered the role of anchor, but in modern T20 cricket, that role has lost its relevance. Right now, teams are looking for momentum on the power play. But Pakistan persisted with their anchor at the top. Whether it was Babar or his former opening partner Mohammad Rizwan, this strategy often resulted in increased pressure on the rest of the batting order due to their slow scoring rates.

Babar was once called the ‘king’ of Pakistan cricket. comparison with Virat Kohli For a period of time, he was mentioned as one of the greats of the modern era, along with Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, Kohli and Joe Root. However, that peak did not last long and now with each match he is becoming Pakistan’s ‘match ka muzirim’.Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif believes Babar’s second sacking as captain left a mental scar. “After being sacked once, he should not have been given the captaincy again. That was a mistake. His confidence was hurt by the second sacking,” Latif told TimesofIndia.com.At 31 years old, Babar is at a crossroads in his career. There is no doubting his talent, but the demands of modern T20 cricket have outpaced his evolution. With spin expected to be the norm in Kandy, Abrar Ahmad likely to be recalled and a left-handed batsman like Fakhar Zaman needed in the top order, Babar’s spot is no longer guaranteed. Even if he does play, his role has shrunk. The crown he once wore comfortably now sits uneasily, and time is no longer on his side.