Azhar Mahmood Advises Babar Azam to Play Domestic Cricket

Pakistan’s red-ball head coach Azhar Mahmood has advised star batter Babar Azam to play domestic cricket to improve his skills and adapt better to the pressure of Test matches. His comments came after Pakistan lost the second Test against South Africa by eight wickets in Rawalpindi.

Speaking at a press conference after the defeat, Azhar Mahmood said that many players in the national Test squad lack first-class cricket experience. He believes this inexperience makes it harder for them to perform consistently under pressure in international games.

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The former all-rounder explained that playing domestic cricket regularly helps players build mental toughness. It also teaches them how to handle tough match situations and recover from poor performances. Mahmood said that consistent participation in the local circuit can make players more confident at the Test level.

He mentioned that both Babar Azam and Abdullah Shafique have played limited first-class matches so far. According to Mahmood, this lack of match time in the longer format affects their ability to stay composed and perform well against quality opposition, especially in challenging conditions.

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Azhar Mahmood emphasized that Pakistan’s batters must also learn to play better against spin and suggested preparing spin-friendly pitches in domestic tournaments. He concluded by saying that stronger domestic experience is key to long-term success — once again highlighting that Azhar Mahmood advises Babar Azam to play domestic cricket for overall improvement and consistency.