Sadiq Pinpoints Flaws in Babar’s Batting

Former Pakistan Test opener Sadiq Mohammad has pinpointed Babar batting flaws in a detailed assessment of the star batter’s recent struggles, and he has offered a set of technical fixes that he believes can restore Babar’s scoring touch.

In an interview with The Express Tribune, Sadiq pointed to Babar’s early shot selection, footwork, batting stance and failure to judge deliveries outside off stump as the areas that need attention. He believes adjustments to stance, footwork and timing could help Babar rediscover his form.

Sadiq speaks from personal experience. He played county cricket for Gloucestershire, faced similar dismissals in the gully and slip areas, and scored a century in his next innings against Warwickshire after technical changes suggested by his elder brother Wazir Mohammad.

Babar batting flaws, as Sadiq sees them

The first problem, in Sadiq’s view, is timing. He believes Babar plays his shots too early, with the bat away from his body and his front left toe. That early contact robs the batter of control, because the ball is met before the body is in position to direct it.

The second problem is stance. Sadiq highlighted Babar’s batting stance, which he believes makes it difficult to judge the width of deliveries outside off stump. According to Sadiq, Babar’s back foot touches the off-stump line when he makes contact with the ball.

That foot position, Sadiq argued, allows bowlers to exploit the sixth-stump line, well outside off stump, with away-swinging deliveries, tempting Babar into chasing balls he should leave.

Sadiq suggested a clear fix. Babar should change his guard from leg stump to fourth-leg stump, and move his right back foot towards a position between leg and middle stump as the bowler approaches the umpire. That shift, Sadiq believes, would encourage bowlers to target the stumps rather than exploit the space outside off stump.

Contact point and weight transfer

A third concern is where Babar meets the ball. Sadiq said Babar tends to make contact around six inches away from his left-foot toe, instead of allowing the ball to come closer to his body. That distance changes the bat’s position from a closed face to an open face, resulting in sliced shots that travel behind square in the air rather than along the ground.

That pattern explains the dismissals Sadiq described at the start. Off-side shots that should travel through the covers instead go towards gully, third slip and backward point, where fielders wait for exactly that mistake.

Sadiq also pointed out that Babar does not transfer enough body weight onto his front foot while driving, preventing him from directing the ball towards the front of square.

On timing and contact, Sadiq advised Babar to meet the ball in front of his left front toe on the front foot, keeping his back bent so the ball travels along the ground, with the same principle applying off the back foot. He also stressed watching the ball onto the bat, saying failure to do so is another reason his cover drives travel behind square. Regular net practice with the new stance and foot positioning could help Babar direct most shots towards the front of square, Sadiq said.

Why the advice matters now

The advice arrives at a sensitive moment for Babar. He scored 118 runs in five innings in the recent ODI tri-series, without a fifty, and he fell for a duck in the final against Sri Lanka, a match Pakistan still won. That run has kept the debate about his form alive, even as Pakistan lifted the trophy.

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf also wrote on X recently that Babar should be sent to England and Australia to work on his batting flaws. Sadiq said Yousuf’s suggestion is almost right, but added that he, as an opening batter, has a different suggestion, based on stance and footwork rather than travel alone.

The immediate test of Sadiq’s tips will come in domestic cricket. Babar and Shaheen are set for a Quaid-e-Azam Trophy opening clash, with the tournament starting on 3 November, and the full Quaid-e-Azam Trophy squads have been announced.

Despite identifying these shortcomings, Sadiq expressed confidence in Babar’s ability to return to his previous form. “Babar, in my view, you are still a very good batsman. I suggest you work on my tips, and you will be the same Babar again. For a world-class batsman like you, it should not be difficult to apply these changes in your next outing. Go out and get it right,” Sadiq said.

More Pakistan sport: Pakistan were fined for a slow over-rate in the tri-series final and Mohammad Amir has denied IPL rumours ahead of the APL draft.

Frequently asked questions

What flaws did Sadiq identify in Babar’s batting?

Sadiq pointed to early shot selection, footwork, batting stance and poor judgment of deliveries outside off stump, with contact made too far from the body and too little weight transferred onto the front foot.

What guard change did Sadiq suggest?

He suggested Babar change his guard from leg stump to fourth-leg stump, and move his right back foot towards a position between leg and middle stump as the bowler approaches, so bowlers attack the stumps instead of the area outside off stump.

Why does the sixth-stump line matter?

Bowlers use the sixth-stump line, well outside off stump, to tempt batters into chasing away-swinging deliveries. Sadiq said Babar’s back foot on the off-stump line makes it harder to judge that width, leading to edges behind square.

What did Sadiq say about his own career?

Sadiq said he faced similar dismissals in the gully, third slip and backward-point areas during his county career, and that technical changes suggested by his brother Wazir Mohammad helped him score a century in his next innings against Warwickshire.

What did Mohammad Yousuf suggest for Babar?

Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf wrote on X that Babar should be sent to England and Australia to work on his batting flaws. Sadiq said that suggestion is almost right, but offered a different, stance-based approach as an opener.