Babar Azam Returns to Domestic Cricket After Seven Years

Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam is returning to domestic first-class cricket after a seven-year absence, a move widely reported as his own request to the Pakistan Cricket Board to address a prolonged slump in Test form. Azam will play as a guest for Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) in the ongoing Presidents Trophy Grade 1 tournament, marking his first domestic red-ball appearance since 2019. The decision comes as Azam seeks to regain his touch in the longer format, where he has not scored a Test century since December 2022. Since the beginning of 2023, his Test average stands at 30.43, which is 12.55 runs below his career average. Across 39 innings in this period, he has managed only eight half-centuries, including a stretch of 18 innings without passing 41. Azam's form has been a prominent subject of debate in Pakistan cricket. The scrutiny intensified during Pakistan's recent three-Test series in England, which they lost 3-0. England's fast bowlers repeatedly targeted his weakness against short-pitched bowling in the second and third Tests. Azam missed the series opener at Headingley due to injury.