Ponting advises Babar Azam to 'lock the kitbag away'

Former Australian cricket captain, Ricky Ponting, recently gave advice on Babar Azam's form and Pakistan's new leadership setup.

According to Ponting, Babar could benefit from taking a break from the game, similar to the approach Virat Kohli used during a challenging period in his career. Kohli took a step back, refreshed himself, and returned stronger, with notable performances in the T20 World Cup against Pakistan and the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he scored 765 runs and earned Player of the Tournament.

"The biggest challenge is how they get Babar back into their side,. They've got to find a way to get Babar back into form and back into their [Test] team," Ponting said.

"You know, when you look at (Babar's) numbers, it's been a bit like the stuff that we were talking about with Virat [Kohli] earlier on. Sometimes – and I think Virat was on record saying this – that little bit of a break that he had, he took himself away from the game for a while to freshen up and sort out some things that he needed to sort out," he further added.

Babar, who recently struggled in Test cricket with an average of just 20.7 since 2023, was rested by Pakistan's selectors. He returned to the team for limited-overs matches under the new captain, Mohammad Rizwan. Ponting suggested that a brief break might help Babar regain his focus and form, allowing him to return even stronger.

"This might be exactly what Babar needs. Maybe Babar needs to get away for a while and stop trying too hard. Lock the kit bag away for a while, and think about something else and then hopefully come back recharged, because we know at his best he's as good as anyone going around. Hopefully we get to see that in the back half of his career again," Ponting said.

Ponting also discussed the leadership changes in Pakistan's team. After several shifts, Pakistan named Mohammad Rizwan as the permanent white-ball captain. While Rizwan has shown passion and energy on the field, Ponting believes it will take a few more games to judge his effectiveness as a captain.

"They're continually changing leaders, (Shaheen) Afridi one day, Babar one day, Rizwan another day. Lots of changes going on around their white-ball stuff. You don't like to see that instability, but I guess they're trying to find something that works and they're willing to make changes until they find something that works and they start getting the right outcomes," Ponting said.

With Pakistan's tour in Australia underway, Ponting shared optimism about Rizwan's leadership, noting his aggressive playing style and emotional involvement in the game as positive signs for Pakistan's future.