Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha was left irked when asked about Babar Azam’s form during a press conference ahead of the T20I series against Australia.

Babar, who didn’t feature in Pakistan’s Asia Cup squad last September, has since returned to the T20I setup and has been named for both the Australia series and the upcoming T20 World Cup.

However, the right-hander has come under severe scrutiny in recent weeks for his below-par performance in the Big Bash League. Playing for the Sydney Sixers, the former Pakistan captain managed to score 202 runs at an average of 22.44 and a strike rate of 103.06 in 11 matches.

However, Agha mince no words while addressing the constant spotlight on Babar, expressing his frustration over the recurring line of questioning. He called for divided attention across the squad rather than fixating on one player.

“I wish someday I attend a press conference and not get asked about Babar Azam,” Salman told reporters. “There are 14 other players, batsmen in the team, so think about them as well and talk about them too. Let him be and focus on batting."

During his maiden BBL stint, Babar also grabbed headlines for being denied a single by Australia star Steve Smith, who wanted to retain strike for power surge as the Pakistan batter looked miffed with his teammate's move.

Agha, though, refused to read too much into Babar Azam’s underwhelming show in the BBL, stressing that franchise performances were not a concern for the team management.

“Look, I agree Babar did not play as per expectations in the BBL, but for us, he has been a proven performer always, so I have no issues. For me, it only matters how he plays for Pakistan. What he does in the BBL does not matter to me," he added.

Pakistan will host Australia in three T20Is in Lahore on January 29, January 31 and February 1. The series will serve as a final dress rehearsal for the T20 World Cup 2026, slated to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.