Srinagar: Pakistan newly appointed coach Mike Hesson has said that there is no talk about Babar Azam earning recall in the team as wicketkeeper batter and they have never considered that option.
Addressing the media on the sidelines of the Pakistan training camp, Hesson clarified the speculations regarding Babar Azam.
Recent media reports have claimed that Babar Azam has been offered a role as a wicketkeeper in a bid to secure his place in the team.
“Babar Azam is not being considered as a wicketkeeping option. There’s been a lot of chatter around this, but Babar is working to secure his place in the side as an opening batter,” he explained.
“There has been no talk with Babar regarding the wicket-keeping role. If he [Babar] could secure his place in the team, he would play alongside Fakhar Zaman or Saim Ayub,” he added.
The newly appointed coach emphasized the needs of modern-day cricket, stressing the need for an aggressive approach.
“No player has been instructed to play with a strike rate of 150. We [Pakistan team] are lagging behind in T20 cricket due to our batting. The players have to play with intent in modern-day cricket,” he concluded.
Babar Azam is not part of the T20I squad selected for the upcoming series against Bangladesh. The top-order batter, however, has been called to the training camp alongside Naseem Shah, Mohammad Rizwan, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Wasim Jr.
The right-handed batter last played for Pakistan in the shorter format against South Africa in 2024. Consequently, Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were axed from the T20I side amid concerns regarding the adaptability of modern-day cricket.
