Babar AzamLong awaited return to PakistanThe Test setup proved anticlimactic with the star only managing to score four runs before suffering an easy dismissal South Africa. Entering the crease at 36/1 during the 15th over, Babar started with flair, hitting a reliable boundary on the first ball he faced. The shot seemed to signal the arrival of Babar's classic innings, but his stay in the crease was short-lived.
Babar Azam's shot selection under the microscope
The style of dismissal once again raises questions about Babar's shot choice in Test cricket. After a promising start with a boundary, the Pakistan skipper looked hesitant, playing nine successive balls before attempting an ill-timed shot to hit the ball wide. On the second ball of the 18th over, he bowled a wide delivery Dan Patterson directly to Aiden Markram On the second slip. Markram made no mistake, completing a straightforward catch to send the former Pakistan skipper back to the pavilion. The shot lacked conviction and resulted in an easy catch for Markram, leaving the visitors in a precarious position on day one of the first Test against South Africa at SuperSports Park, Centurion.
also Watch: Dane Patterson sends Babar Azam packing on day one of the first SA vs PAK test
A tough start for Pakistan's batting line-up against South Africa
Babar's sacking adds to a worrying drought in the longer format of the game. The right-hander has now gone 19 consecutive Test innings without getting more than a fifty score. His last significant contribution came in December 2022 during the Boxing Day Test against New ZealandWhere he scored an emphatic century in Karachi.
Babar's early departure was a major setback for Pakistan, who relied on their skipper to anchor the innings at the challenging Centurion Stadium. His wicket brought him vice-captainship Saud Shakeel To the crease when Pakistan tried to rebuild. But he fell too soon somehow Pakistan reached 88/4 at lunchtime. However, the dismissal also sparked a storm on social media, with pundits and followers expressing their disappointment at Babar's continued inability to convert his starts into big scores in Test cricket.
Here's how fans reacted:
Babar Azam takes the place of the deserving young man.
He should be permanently excluded from the Test squad.#savpak pic.twitter.com/CPTCr7wlx4
– Heisenberg (@rovvmut_) December 26, 2024
Babar Azam is a player who will score goals when he wants to save or create personal milestones.#PACVSA pic.twitter.com/re22YwMZli
— Ctrl C Ctrl Memes (@Ctrlmemes_) December 26, 2024
Most consecutive innings by Pakistani front-line batsmen are below 50 in Tests
23 W. Matthias
21 Ali Al-Din
19 Tawfiq Omar
19 Babar Azzam— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) December 26, 2024
Pathetic that of Babar. What was he trying to do there? Stay away from the body? Are you driving it downhill with a packed collar and lots of bounce on the surface?
He gifted the wicket away.
– Master (@coverpoint_) December 26, 2024
The seamers play those kind of shots, and Babar should be ashamed of himself.
— Timur Selim. (@FracturedMalang) December 26, 2024
What was Babar doing there 😅👀#savpak
– Lawrence Bailey ⚪ 🇿🇦 (@LawrenceBailey0) December 26, 2024
Babar will play a wide delivery outside the stump 😬
– Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) December 26, 2024
Very disappointing dismissal of Babar Azam today, who is supposed to be the number one player in the Pakistani national team. Poking the bat out of the trunk again.#savpak
— CricBlog ✍ (@cric_blog) December 26, 2024
Babar Azam has now bowled out for a sub-50 score in Test cricket for the 19th time in a row.
A funny and indecisive dismissal since he tried to run a wide ball outside the off stump for a single with four slips waiting.#savpak
— Israr Ahmed Hashmi (@IamIsrarHashmi) December 26, 2024
This is a sad scorecard for Pakistan. Pakistan's best batsman Babar Azam got the lowest score of 4???????????????#savpak #tapmad #Don't stop streaming #CatchEveryMatch pic.twitter.com/7FIThU1Sc2
– Farid Khan (@_FaridKhan) December 26, 2024
4 runs on 11 deliveries.
Babar Azam is not a great batsman.
Babar Azam is not a good batsman.
Babar Azam is not an average batsman.
Babar Azam is not a batsman.
Babar Azam is a fraud and should not be in the team. https://t.co/AjbPMG7R6w– Abdullah (@abdallahhammad4) December 26, 2024
Babar Azam has had just one man-of-the-match performance in 101 Test innings.
Don't expect a Joe Root or Steve Smith type performance from Babar Azam. He is an ordinary batsman in Test cricket.
– Bash (@bashhh_24) December 26, 2024