In a three-match test series between Australia and Pakistan, with Australia leading 1-0 after winning the first test in Perth, the second test is happening at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Australia are close to clinching another series victory after successfully removing Pakistan's key players, Babar Azam and skipper Shan Masood. Babar Azam, continuing his struggle in test cricket in 2023, managed only one run in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test, falling victim to Australia's captain Pat Cummins. He faced a similar fate in the second innings, getting dismissed in identical fashion by Josh Hazlewood having scored 41 runs.
Babar Azam, often esteemed alongside players like Steve Smith, Joe Root, Kane Williamson, and Indian batting sensation Virat Kohli, has faced a challenging year in 2023, particularly in international cricket, especially in the red-ball format. His performances have been humbling in Test cricket, where he has struggled to match the expectations set by his esteemed contemporaries.
Throughout 2023, Babar Azam has struggled to notch up even a single fifty, let alone a century, in the red-ball format of cricket. His recent innings of 41 runs in the ongoing Boxing Day Test marks his highest score of the year, painting a clear picture of his challenging run. This year has indeed been tough for Babar Azam, further compounded by the Pakistan Cricket Board's decision to relieve him of the captaincy following a disappointing World Cup campaign in India.
In 2023, across five test matches and 9 innings, Babar Azam managed a total of 204 runs, averaging a modest 22.66. Among these matches, three took place in the subcontinent. One was held in Karachi against the visiting New Zealand team, while the other two occurred in Sri Lanka, in Galle and Colombo.
Test Records In SENA
Babar Azam's persistent challenge has been his performance in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries. Across a total of 16 test matches in these four nations, he has managed just one century along with seven fifties. His lone century was achieved back in 2019 during a match in Brisbane, Australia.
In South Africa, Babar participated in three test matches, scoring 221 runs at an average of 38.83. His outings in England comprised four matches and six innings, where he accumulated 263 runs with an impressive average of 65.75, thanks notably to three fifties, two of which he remained unbeaten for. In New Zealand, he played two test matches and gathered 142 runs at an average of 47.33, with his highest score being 90 not out in Hamilton, his sole fifty in that country.
Babar Azam's most challenging performances have been in Australia. Across seven test matches and 14 innings in the country, he has accumulated a total of 355 runs at a rather modest average of 25.35. This includes one century, one fifty, and a duck in his batting records during his appearances in Australian test matches.
As 2023 draws to a close with a poor record in the test format, Babar Azam will likely aim to turn things around in 2024. The opportunity to improve looms close, with the first match of the new year set to take place from January 3 to January 7 in Sydney. This final match of the ongoing three-match test series against Australia presents a chance for Babar to reset and strive for a stronger performance.