Former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson explained the struggles of top-order batter Babar Azam and the Pakistan team during the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Babar has been Pakistan’s mainstay in the batting lineup for several years, but the right-hander has struggled for form after recording low scores in the eight-team tournament. His last ODI century came during the Asia Cup 2023 against Nepal.
Furthermore, 2017 Champions Trophy winning team Pakistan had a forgettable title defence, suffering back-to-back defeats against New Zealand and India before their last group-stage match against Bangladesh was washed out.
Hesson, who coached the New Zealand team from 2012 to 2018, addressed the underlying issues of Pakistan cricket and Babar Azam’s performance.
“Babar Azam is no doubt a world-class player, but during the Champions Trophy he was playing with a fear of failure,” he remarked while speaking on his YouTube channel.
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“He is very proficient against left-arm spin bowling; however, we witnessed him playing those spinners cautiously during the tournament, often just nudging the ball for single runs.”
Hesson further correlated Babar’s performances with the leadership changes within Pakistan cricket.
“Although intent was a problem with the Pakistan team in the Champions Trophy, but it was not the biggest issue. The underlying issues are much deeper than just intent.”
“There is a fear of failure among players that impacts their future performances as well,” he observed.
For the unversed, Pakistan cricket has experienced significant instability, having had four chairpersons, 26 selectors, eight coaches, and four captains in the last three years.
Hesson emphasized the need for a more stable leadership structure at the top level in Pakistan cricket.
“The chairman comes for a short-term fix. and obviously he is doing his job. I’m not suggesting a change is necessary, but consistency in leadership is crucial so that it doesn’t adversely impact the team.”
“A chairperson should implement a system that lasts for a certain period, and if they step down, there should be continuity to maintain the integrity of Pakistan cricket.” Hesson said.
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The current Islamabad United head coach highlighted that how continuous changes can affect players’ performances and teams’ contributions.
“This uncertainty forces players to prioritize their own performance over the team’s success. Players are left wondering whether their current leaders will remain in their positions long enough, which leads them to focus on self-preservation,” he stated.
Mike Hesson cited the New Zealand and Australian teams as positive examples, mentioning that their players are not judged on short-term performances.
“15 years ago, the New Zealand team had a similar kind of structure to Pakistan’s, where players fought for their spots instead of prioritizing the team. However, they have now adopted a different mechanism,” he stated.
“Cricket Australia does not make frequent overhauls; they provide players a longer run to prove themselves and asses them based on their performance over time rather than in isolation,” he concluded.
READ: Former cricketer slams decision to ‘rest’ senior players after Champions Trophy debacle