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Babar Azam’s much-anticipated return to Pakistan’s Test setup proved anticlimactic as the star batter managed to score just four runs before falling to a soft dismissal against South Africa. Entering the crease at 36/1 during the 15th over, Babar started with flair, striking an authoritative boundary on the very first ball he faced. The shot seemed to signal the arrival of a classic Babar inningꦛs, but his stay at the crease was short-lived.
Babar Azam’s shot selection under scrutiny
The mode of dismissal once again raises questions about Babar’s shot selection in Test cricket. After a promising start with a boundary, the Pakistani skipper appeared hesitant, playing nine consecutive dot balls before attempting an ill-timed dab to a wide delivery. On second ball of the 18th over, he edged a wide delivery from Dane Paterson straight to Aiden Markram at second slip. Markram made no mistake, completing a straightforward catch to send the Pakistan former skipper back to the pavilion. The shot lacked convi꧂ction and resulted in an easy catch for Markram, leaving the visitors in a precarious situation on Dayꦏ 1 of the first Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park, Centurion.
Also WATCH: Dane Paterson sends Babar Azam packiℱng on Day 1 of the SA vs PAK 1st Test
A tough start for Pakistan’s batting lineup against South Africa
Babar’s dismissal further extends a worrying drought in the longer format of the game. The right-hander has now gone 19 consecutive Test innings without a fifty-plus score. His last significant contribution came in December 2022 during the Boxing Day Test against New Zealand, where he scored an emphatic century in Karachi.
Babar’s early departure was a major setback for Pakistan, who relied on their skipper to anchor the innings on a challenging Centurion pitch. His wicket brought vice-captain Saud Shakeel to the crease as Pakistan attempted to rebuild. But he fell early too somehow Pakistan have reached 88/4 at Lunch. However, the dismissal also ignited a storm on social media, with critics and followers expressing disappointment over Babar’s continued inability to convert starts into subs🐈tantial scores in Test cricket.
Here’s how fans reacted:
Babar Az🍸am is taking the🔯 place of a deserving youngster.
He should be permanently dropped from the Tꦓest ♊squad.
— Heisenberg (@rovvmut_)
Babar Azam is 𝓀a player who will score runs whenever he wants to save or create personal milestones.
— Ctrl C Ctrl Memes (@Ctrlmemes_)
Most consecutive innings by Pakistan frontline✅ batters without a 50 in Tests
23 W Mathias
21 Alimuddin
19 Taufeeq Umar
19 Babar Azam— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad)
Pathetic that from Babar. What was⛎ he trying to do there? Pushing away from the body? Steering it down with a packed cordon and a lot of bounce in the surface?
Gifted his wicket away.
— MA (@coverpoint_)
T🍨ailenders play such kind of shots babar should be ashamed of himself.
— Taimoor Saleem. (@FracturedMalang)
What was Babar doing there 😅👀
— Lawrence Bailey ⚪ 🇿🇦 (@LawrenceBailey0)ꦜ
Babar gone pl🦹aying at a wide deliv🍌ery outside off-stump 😬
— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh)
Very disappointing dismissal from Babar Azam today, who is meant to be the premier player in th💖e Pakistan team. Poking the bat outside offstump again.
— CricBlog ✍ (@cric_blog)
Babar Azam has now been out for an under-50 score in Test꧑ Cricket for the 19th time in a row.
A funny, indecisive dismissal this one since he tried to run a wide off-stump ball for a 💯single with four slips waiting.
— Israr Ahmed Hashmi (@IamIsrarHashmi)
This is such a sad scorecard for Pakistan. Pakistan's best batter Babar Azam has the lowest score of 4 😭😭😭
— Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan)
4 runs on 11 deliveries.
Babar Azam isn't a great batter.
Babar Azam isn't a good batter.
Babar Azam isn't an average batter.
Babar Azam isn't a shit batter.
Babar Azam is an♒ imposter and he 𒅌should not be in the team.— Abdullah (@abdullahhammad4)
Babar Azam has got just one man of the match performance in 101 test match innings.🌃
Don't expect Joe Root or Steve Smith type of performances from Babar Azam. He is an ordinary batter in test cricket.
— Bash (@bashhh_24)
