Umar Akmal Urges Babar Azam to Consult Batting Coach Over Form Concerns

• Umar Akmal advises Babar Azam to discuss his batting difficulties with the national team’s batting coach to improve his performance.
• Akmal urges struggling international players to participate in domestic cricket and prove their form before returning to the national side.
• The former Pakistan batter calls for greater transparency in team selection and advises Hasan Nawaz to improve his middle-order batting skills.

Pakistan cricketer Umar Akmal has advised former national captain Babar Azam to seek guidance from his batting coach to address his ongoing batting difficulties and regain consistency in international cricket.

Speaking during Samaa TV’s programme “Zor Ka Jor,” Akmal discussed the challenges facing Pakistan’s batting lineup and emphasised the importance of professional coaching, domestic cricket and individual responsibility in improving players’ performances.

He suggested that Babar Azam should openly discuss the technical and performance-related issues affecting his batting with the team’s batting coach rather than allowing those difficulties to continue without proper attention.

Akmal maintained that players experiencing a decline in form at the international level should return to domestic cricket, where they could work on their weaknesses, rebuild confidence and demonstrate their readiness for national selection.

According to him, consistent performances in domestic competitions provide players with an opportunity to regain their rhythm while also strengthening the country’s overall cricketing structure.

Discussing Pakistan’s middle-order batting, Akmal specifically highlighted the role of Hasan Nawaz, who has been assigned responsibilities in that position.

He said Hasan needed to focus on developing the skills required of a middle-order batter, particularly the ability to score boundaries and rotate the strike effectively.

Akmal explained that batting in the middle order required players to adjust their approach according to match situations, maintain the scoring rate and build partnerships when necessary.

He advised Hasan to practise these aspects of his game regularly to become more effective and dependable in his assigned batting position.

The Pakistan cricketer also stressed the importance of honesty, discipline and personal accountability among national team players.

He maintained that cricketers must first be sincere with themselves about their performances and responsibilities before demonstrating their full commitment to Pakistan and the national team.

Akmal argued that players should recognise their shortcomings and make genuine efforts to improve rather than relying solely on their reputation or previous achievements.

Turning to the national selection process, he called on Pakistan’s cricket selectors to clearly explain the standards and criteria used when choosing players for international assignments.

He said selectors should provide reasonable explanations for their decisions, particularly regarding why certain cricketers were preferred over others.

According to Akmal, greater transparency in selection would help players understand the expectations placed on them and encourage healthy competition for places in the national team.

He also highlighted the importance of strengthening Pakistan’s domestic cricket system, describing it as a vital platform for developing future international players.

Akmal expressed the view that greater participation by established cricketers in domestic competitions could help identify emerging talent and improve the overall standard of cricket in the country.

He maintained that regular domestic cricket would benefit both experienced players seeking to regain form and younger cricketers hoping to earn opportunities at the international level.