Faf du Plessis shares his views on Babar Azam
What's the story
Former South African captain Faf du Plessis believes that "honest conversations" between former Pakistan captain Babar Azam and coach Mike Hesson could be the key to maximizing Babar's potential in T20 cricket. The suggestion comes after Hesson highlighted Babar's low strike rate during powerplays in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The coach also mentioned that the best use of Babar would be "through the middle" of innings.
Game evolution
Du Plessis on Babar being 'behind' in T20s
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo's show TimeOut, du Plessis acknowledged that while Babar is a "world-class player," the rapid evolution of T20 cricket has left him "a little bit behind" in terms of scoring rates. He said, "We know Babar as one of the world's best players for a very long time. I think the game of T20 cricket has moved so fast forward into strike rates that he's found himself a little bit behind in terms of strike rates."
Role clarification
Coach's role in best utilizing Babar
Du Plessis stressed that as a coach, Hesson would be looking for ways to best utilize Babar Azam in the game. He said on tricky surfaces, there is a role for someone to play at a strike rate of 120-130. However, he also pointed out that the game has evolved too much and now players need to maintain strike rates between 160 and 200-plus to maximize their potential during powerplays.
Conditions analysis
Conditions in Sri Lanka could benefit Babar, says du Plessis
Despite the challenges, du Plessis believes that the conditions in Sri Lanka, where Pakistan is playing all its matches, could be beneficial for Babar. He said these slower conditions with a lot of spin could provide value from someone like him in the middle and ensure that he anchors the innings. This comes as a response to criticism over Babar's performance.
Communication importance
Need for honest conversations between players and coaches
Du Plessis stressed the need for honesty in conversations between coaches and players. He said, "It starts with honesty. That's the groundwork of any conversation that happens." He added, "For a coach, it's like, 'listen, these are the numbers. The numbers are suggesting this.' Once the stats are in front of a player, it's pretty difficult to go 'I'm not agreeing with you.'"
Evolution challenge
Challenge for Babar to evolve his game further
Du Plessis also acknowledged that the challenge for Babar to evolve his game further is complicated by his age and experience. He said at 29, Babar has already served as Pakistan's T20I captain, having captained in 86 games. However, he warned there could be a temptation to avoid the discomfort of radically transforming his game, preferring to stick to what got him here.