Former Pakistan cricketer and coach, Mushtaq Ahmed, advised struggling star Babar Azam to take a break from the game to make a comeback like India’s Virat Kohli.

Babar has been under scrutiny for his recent struggles with the bat. The former Pakistan captain has been struggling since his impressive 151-run knock against Nepal in the 2023 Asia Cup.

Unfortunately, Babar’s struggles continued in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 as well, and it led to his resignation as Pakistan captain in all three formats of the game.

After stepping down from the captaincy, Babar was hoping for a fresh start with the bat in the ongoing three-match Test series in Australia, but the story is the same. The Pakistani star registered scores of 21, 14, 1, and 41 in four innings against Australia in the first two Tests.

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Mushtaq Ahmed was quoted as saying by Cricket Pakistan: “Babar has given outstanding performances, and he is our hero. He is considered one of the top players in the world. However, he faced challenges such as losing the Asia Cup, winning the World Cup, and subsequently losing the captaincy amid rumors and difficulties.”

He further explained, “Often in our culture, we fail to realize the need for breaks. If I were there, I would have suggested giving Babar some rest. Skip the three Test matches and focus on the upcoming series. If nothing happens in the next Test match or one-day game, such a prominent player will suddenly decline and go down.

Many times, we sacrifice big achievements for small successes. Babar needed a mental break as he was fatigued. Across the world, we provide coaching, and when we realize a player is mentally disturbed, we give them a break of 2 or 3 matches.”

Ahmed signed off by saying, “When Virat Kohli was out of form, he took a break, and since then, he hasn’t faced the same struggles. The management should have taken ownership and advised Babar to take a rest.”