Pakistan's most prolific modern batter is going back to basics.
Babar Azam has returned to domestic first-class cricket for the first time since 2019, requesting the Pakistan Cricket Board find him a place in the ongoing President's Trophy Grade 1 tournament as he works to rediscover his form. The move marks a notable departure for a player who has spent the better part of the last seven years operating almost exclusively at the international level.
The timing carries real significance. Babar has faced increasing scrutiny over his batting form in recent months, and stepping back into domestic cricket — a level he'd essentially bypassed for years given his central contract status and constant international commitments — signals a genuine, hands-on effort to work through those struggles away from the pressure of international matches.
The President's Trophy itself has been delivering plenty of its own drama this week. In Rawalpindi, State Bank of Pakistan holds a commanding position in their fourth-round match against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, leading by 160 runs after posting 190 for 1 in their second innings, chasing a target built on Sui Northern's first-innings total of 188. Multiple other Grade 1 fixtures are running simultaneously across venues including Peshawar, giving the tournament a genuinely packed, competitive spread heading into its later rounds.
For Babar, slotting into this domestic structure means facing bowlers and conditions considerably removed from the polished international circuit he's built his career around — exactly the kind of grinding, lower-profile cricket that's often credited with helping established players rebuild technique and confidence away from the spotlight. Whether it works remains to be seen, but the decision itself says something about how seriously Pakistan's biggest modern batting star is treating his current form.
Spotted a story we should dig into? Drop us a line at tips@kanilprwire.com.
