Babar Azam is going through the best phase of his cricket career in years. Once put in the league of Virat Kohli, Babar ran out of gas and underwent a significant dip in form that saw him being in and out of the Pakistan team across formats. But PSL 2026 has brought Babar back to his very best. With 588 runs, the most by any batter this season and the joint best overall, he played a significant role in leading Peshawar Zalmi to their second PSL title.
With Babar back to his very best, he now eyes a return to the Pakistan cricket team in all formats. He was asked by a reporter he would prioritize specific formats, to which he said he would play all three formats. Tension na lein, teeno format kheloonga (Don’t stress, I will play in all three formats),’ Babar told the journalist.
Babar added that players should not pick and choose formats, and every version of the game helps a player evolve.
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“It’s not for the player to decide [which format to skip]; a player’s job is to play. In my opinion, every player should play every form of cricket. You shouldn’t focus only on the white ball or T20s. Red-ball cricket gives you immense experience. It teaches you how to build an innings and gives you patience. When you play four-day cricket or any domestic circuit, you gain the experience of scoring ‘long’ runs. You should play all three formats because each one helps the other. Red ball helps you in T20s and ODIs. When you play Test matches, the patience and mindset you develop—the art of playing a long innings—benefit you significantly in white-ball cricket.”
Babar also spoke on his recent dip in form and admitted that he couldn’t live up to the standard he set for himself. On turning things around, Babar said he realized his mistakes and worked on the flaws that allowed him to find his form.
“As far as batting is concerned, I definitely couldn’t deliver according to the expectations I had for myself. But these things happen. Sometimes, you aren’t able to execute your plans exactly how you wanted once you get out there. You try everything, but things just don’t go your favour,” Babar said.
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“In those moments, what you do is try to take two steps back and look at yourself. You analyze your mistakes and try to rectify them. That’s what I did. During that phase, the people closest to me provided immense support. You really need that support during such times. My family and close friends motivated me and kept talking to me about my ‘best abilities.’ I also tried to repeat the things I do best. I spoke with my coaches, had discussions, and worked on my game. Look, things move like a rollercoaster; life is never a stable, flat line. You learn, you do well, and you do poorly. That’s just part of life.”
“Look, when we came back from the World Cup, I hadn’t performed according to expectations. As a player, you feel a bit down. But again, there was very little time—I only had about ten days. During that time, I sat down and looked at my mistakes and where my game plan seemed to be shifting. I worked on my technique and my mindset.
“For this PSL (Pakistan Super League), my goal was simply this: I will play my natural game and stick to my cricketing shots. I decided to execute whatever the pitch conditions, the match situation, and the team demanded of me,” Babar added.
