Agha Salman expresses confidence in Babar Azam amid slump in form

Salman highlights Babar's struggles as a common phase, urging the rest of the team to step up and perform

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Pakistan all-rounder Agha Salman has voiced his support for former Test captain Babar Azam, following his struggles to convert starts into big scores during the ongoing Test series against Bangladesh.

On the second day of the Rawalpindi Test, Babar Azam once again fell short of a half-century, dismissed for 37 by Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan.

This marked his 15th consecutive Test innings without reaching the 50-run mark. Pakistan’s batting line-up managed to score just 274 runs in their first innings before being bowled out.

Addressing the media after the day’s play, Agha Salman defended Babar Azam, stating, “Babar is a world-class cricketer. Every batsman faces such phases, but it’s important to remember there are 10 other players in the team who also need to step up.”

Bangladesh ended the day on 10 without loss after two overs, as Pakistan rued four dropped catches that could have changed the course of the game.

Former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has expressed concerns over Pakistan captain Babar Azam's recent struggles, during the Test match series against Bangladesh.

Karthik, known for his insightful commentary, praised Babar's exceptional batting skills but highlighted the immense pressure the star batter is under as captain.

Babar managed to score 31 off 77 deliveries in the first innings of the second rain-hit Test match.

Earlier, Pakistan team found themselves on the wrong side of the results in the first Test against Bangladesh at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

Babar endured a difficult match, being dismissed for a duck in the first innings and managing only 22 runs in the second innings after narrowly avoiding a second duck due to a dropped catch.

Pakistan suffered a shocking 10-wicket defeat, marking their first-ever Test loss to Bangladesh.

During an interview on Cricbuzz's "Hey CB with DK," Karthik acknowledged Babar's quality as a player but pointed out the burden of captaincy affecting his performance.

"Babar Azam as a player, nobody can doubt his quality. He's got outstanding batting potential, though I feel he's under a lot of pressure," Karthik said.

Karthik also criticised Pakistan's decision to declare early in the first innings of the first Test against Bangladesh.