Mohammad Hafeez says out-of-form Babar Azam can be rested, reveals real reason why Shaheen Afridi missed SCG Test

Add as a preferred source on Google

Mohammad Hafeez, the director of Pakistan cricket team, has opened up on the idea of Babar Azam being rested. Hafeez also revealed why Shaheen Afridi was rested from the third and final Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Babar Azam has been struggling for form recently and could manage to score only 126 runs in three matches at an average of 21. A lot was expected of him in Australia after his ordinary World Cup 2023 campaign where he scored 320 runs in nine matches. The batting superstar stepped down as Pakistan across formats after the ICC tournament.

Hafeez has reckoned that Babar Azam can be rested, but it also depends on the 29-year-old former captain. However, he backed the former world number one batter to get back to form with his hard work and determination.

“Babar Azam can be rested. Before giving rest to Babar, one has to think about what Babar himself wants, said Mohammed Hafeez. Not necessarily to rest, [he] can talk about improving any technique. A big innings will re­store his confidence. Red ball cricket brings sophistication to the game. A red ball crick­eter can play all formats," he added.

Shaheen Afidi did not play AUS vs PAK 3rd Test due to sore body: Hafeez

Further, the former all-rounder revealed the actual reason behind Mohammad Hafeez's absence from the third and final Test against Australia in Sydney. He said that the star left-arm pacer, who picked eight wickets in the first two matches, had soreness in his body and the management did not want to put him under injury risk.

“He bowled really well in those two games and bowled the most of any bowler,” he said and added: “When I asked him before the third Test, his body was sore. And I need to look af­ter him more than anything.

“If someone thinks their body is sore and they can’t de­liver the best, we need to look after the career of the individ­ual. I will never make a deci­sion where a player can lose his career for six months or a year. “It was a tough call but we made that decision for the betterment of the players. Be­cause we cannot make that de­cision at the cost of a player’s career,” Hafeez concluded.

Reports after Pakistan's defeat in the first Test had claimed that Shaheen would be rested if the visitors also lose the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. Notably, Pakistan lost the match in MCG and then in Sydney as Australia clinched the series 3-0.