Former England captain Michael Vaughan lauded Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson for utilizing ace batter Babar Azam effectively while navigating the team's politics for the betterment of the green shirts. This comes after the criticism Babar has copped for his poor run in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026.

Babar, the former Pakistan captain, has scored only 91 runs in six innings at the T20 World Cup 2026, with a strike rate of 112.34. Yet he has continued to remain in the playing XI, despite all his flaws.

Vaughan feels Babar Azam will be "undroppable" in Pakistan's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign due to political and institutional realities inside the team structure.

Babar's status in the playing XI has come under criticism following Pakistan's two-wicket loss against England, in which he scored 25 off 24 balls at number four. His overall strike rate in T20 World Cup history has fallen to 111. 5.

"I admire overseas coaches who go and coach in Pakistan because I can only imagine what's going on. But Babar Azam himself, I think Mike Hesson has dealt with it brilliantly because he clearly has to play Babar Azam, and he's using him as an insurance policy. You lose two wickets; he's your insurance. He comes in at number four, and he can just play,” Vaughan said on Cricbuzz.

Vaughan also feels that Babar is well-suited to the pitches in Sri Lanka and should be performing well.

"In Sri Lanka, I think he's absolutely perfect for those wickets because Sri Lanka so far has been 150-180, and I think Babar's in that range. I think he'll get Pakistan to a 160-170 score. But on a 200-day or a 210-day, Babar's not going to get you there. I just don't think he's that kind of player anymore,” Vaughan added. 

Analyzing Babar's inclusion further, Vaughan added, "I do admire the way that Mike Hesson has probably played politics well, and it probably doesn't give you the best chance of winning the World Cup. But I do feel on a pitch, as we'll find in Pallekele, I would want a Babar Azam in my team. Absolutely, because I want someone solid who can knock the spinners around. If he strikes at 125-130, that's absolutely fine. You'll need a cameo or two from two or three of the players around you, but I would want that consistent player in the middle of the innings. I think they've dealt with it right."

"I personally would never want to go and be an overseas coach in Pakistan. I've spoken so much to Jason Gillespie when I went over there. So, it's difficult. I just think Hesson and the team and the management, I think they've dealt with it perfectly. Absolutely perfect in what they've done," he added.

Babar's overall T20 World Cup record is presently 640 runs in 23 matches at an average of 33.68, int20 world cup 2026cluding five half-centuries. His current strike rate of 111.5 is lower than that of Mohammad Hafeez (111.8), Kumar Sangakkara (112.2), and Kane Williamson (112.5).