AB de Villiers backs Babar Azam, offers advice ahead of Champions Trophy

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Former South African captain AB de Villiers has extended his support to Pakistan's star batter Babar Azam, who is currently grappling with a slump in form.

Despite Babar Azam’s recent struggles in the tri-nation ODI series, de Villiers believes that the phase is temporary and part of every great player's career.

The South African cricket legend praised Babar for being the fastest to score 6,000 ODI runs, alongside Hashim Amla, a remarkable achievement that speaks to his talent.

Addressing the issue on his YouTube channel, de Villiers acknowledged the pressures of captaincy, noting that it may have contributed to Babar’s inconsistency, particularly in Test cricket.

With Pakistan now under Mohammad Rizwan’s leadership, de Villiers is confident that the 29-year-old batter will have the opportunity to fully focus on his game, without the added burden of captaincy.

De Villiers shared advice he often gives to his son, emphasising that Babar should concentrate solely on scoring runs.

“It’s about maintaining his rhythm and focusing on getting the job done,” de Villiers said.

He went on to explain that the advice he gives to his son when frustrated about his form is simply to "keep scoring runs" – a sentiment he believes will help Babar regain his top form.

In addition to his support for Babar Azam, de Villiers also praised the performances of Pakistan’s current captain Mohammad Rizwan.

The wicketkeeper-batter’s impressive batting in the tri-nation ODI series, including a match-winning 122 runs against South Africa, was recognised by the former South African cricketer.

De Villiers expressed that Rizwan’s form was a positive sign for Pakistan’s upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to begin on February 19, with Pakistan facing New Zealand in the tournament opener in Karachi.