Former Pakistan captain wants Babar Azam sent to England or Australia for batting lessons

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousaf has urged Babar Azam to seek specialised batting coaching in England or Australia rather than return to domestic cricket to regain his form.

The advice comes after another disappointing performance from Babar, who was dismissed for a duck in Pakistan's ODI tri-series final against Sri Lanka on Saturday.

Although Pakistan went on to win the title with a thrilling three-wicket victory, Babar's struggles with the bat remain a major concern.

And Yousaf believes sending him back to domestic cricket could make things worse.

Taking to X on Sunday, the former Pakistan batting great warned that further failures at domestic level could damage Babar's confidence.

"I don't think Babar Azam should be playing first class cricket until he fixes his technical issues through specialized coaching," Yousaf wrote.

"Struggling in domestic cricket could further harm his confidence and career."

Yousaf suggested that Babar should spend time at a cricket academy in England or Australia to address his batting problems.

"Send him to an academy in England or Australia. He is still Pakistan's top player, and with the right guidance and a little effort, he can return to his best," he wrote.

Interestingly, Yousaf claimed he had offered similar advice four years ago, but nobody paid attention.

"I said this four years ago, and nobody listened. Please listen now," he added.

Babar managed just 118 runs in five innings during the ODI tri-series, averaging 23.60 without scoring a single half century.

Despite his recent struggles, the former Pakistan captain remains one of the country's most accomplished batters.

Yousaf's comments come at a time when Babar is preparing to return to domestic cricket.

The 32 year old has been named in the Lahore Whites squad for the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, with a match against Shaheen Shah Afridi's FATA side scheduled to begin on November 3 in Islamabad.

Pakistan are also scheduled to face Sri Lanka in a two-Test series beginning on November 9.

For Yousaf, however, the priority should be fixing Babar's technique before exposing him to further competitive cricket.

And his message is clear. Babar still has the ability to return to his best, but he needs the right guidance.