Shan Masood backs strong Babar Azam comeback: Sometimes, people need a break

Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood has backed Babar Azam to make a strong comeback to the side after he was rested during the England series. Babar is back in the fold for the Australia white-ball tour.

In Short

• Babar hasn't scored a 50 in 18 Test innings
• Masood hailed Babar as one of the best batters in the world
• Babar's next assignment in Tests would be the South Africa tour

Pakistan's Test captain, Shan Masood, believes that Babar Azam’s break from the Test squad will ultimately work in his favor. Babar was left out of the Pakistan squad for the final two Tests against England, which Pakistan went on to win 2-1, clinching the series. This decision came after Babar struggled with form, having failed to reach a half-century in his last 18 Test innings since late 2022.

Pakistan would go on to say that Babar wasn't dropped, and he was simply rested given the upcoming hectic cricket schedule for them in the coming months. Speaking to the BBC Stumped, as quoted by Cricinfo, Masood hailed Babar as one of the best batters in the world and needed the break from the field.

"I think he's one of the best batsmen in the world. I'm nobody to [say he doesn't have] a future," Masood told the BBC Stumped radio programme. "He has every quality to be one of the greatest batsmen in Test cricket. He's always there or thereabouts in the rankings. Sometimes, people need a break."

This break will benefit Babar a great deal

Masood went on to say that he thinks the break would help Babar a great deal he would come back as a stronger player. The Pakistan Test captain felt that there is no harm in having a breather at times and tipped Babar to continue as one of the main batters to play for Pakistan.

"I think this break will do him a great deal of benefit and he'll come back a stronger player," Masood said. "There's no harm in being pulled out at times and having a breather. He's played a lot of cricket and gone through a lot, and he'll always be one of the main batsmen to play for Pakistan."

Babar could come back into the Test team fold during the tour of South Africa. For now, the Pakistan star batter for the white-ball tour of Australia, which will begin on November with the ODI series.

Pakistan squad for Australia ODIs

Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah (WK), Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan (WK & C), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi

Pakistan squad for Australia T20Is

Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan (WK & C), Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Omair Bin Yousuf, Sahibzada Farhan, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufyan Moqim, Usman Khan