'He is unsure of himself' - Kamran Akmal analyses Babar Azam's shortcomings in red-ball cricket

Babar Azam is unfortunately at the forefront of the criticism being directed towards the Pakistani players after the Asian giants suffered a 0-2 whitewash in the two-match Test series at home against Bangladesh.

Kamran Akmal is the latest among the former cricketers to lambast Babar and the Pakistani team after their disappointing campaign against Bangladesh. The former Pakistan Test captain scored just 64 runs in the four innings at a paltry average of 16. Akmal pointed out some technical errors which have stopped Babar from registering a half-century in his last 16 innings in red-ball cricket.

Also Read: Babar Azam drops out of top 10 in latest ICC Test batting rankings after horror show versus Bangladesh

"He is unsure of himself and his off-stump early on and has this tendency to leave his leg stump exposed. Balls that should be played towards cover are being played straight, and the bat doesn’t go towards the ball’s direction," Akmal was quoted as saying by India Today.

The former Pakistani wicketkeeper-batter also questioned the PCB selection committee's decision to leave out spinners like Yasir Shah, Noman Ali, and Sajid Khan, who had done well for the national team in the past.

"There is no way we will win a home series without a spinner taking wickets. What was Yasir Shah’s fault? What was Sajid Khan’s fault? All of them have taken five-wicket hauls and yet are out of the team,” he lamented.

The cricketer-turned-expert also called out some of the Pakistani players for choosing franchise leagues over international commitments. Akmal said that the players should try to keep a balance between earning money and honing their skills while playing for the nation.

“They prefer to go and play in useless foreign leagues to earn money, and this is not helping them develop their skills. As a professional, you have to balance your schedule and ensure that while you earn money, you also improve yourself as a player for your country,” he concluded.

Also Read: Shan Masood addresses Babar Azam’s insipid Test form after embarrassing series defeat versus Bangladesh

Shan Masood's men will have a little more than a month's time to regroup as they host England in a three-match Test series, starting on October 7.