Image: Babar Azam has been demoted by WI bowlers after Test series against West Indies / © India Today
In the Pakistan vs West Indies Test series of 2024/25, Babar Azam’s poor form saw him enter an unwanted list of players outperformed by West Indies bowlers. Despite Pakistan’s overall struggles, Babar’s individual performance was especially underwhelming. He scored only 45 runs in four innings, with an average of just 11.25, marking a sharp decline from his usual standards.
His highest score was 31, and his strike rate of 43.68 reflected a lack of fluency in his batting. Notably, Babar was outscored by three West Indies bowlers: Gudakesh Motie (92 runs, average 23), Jomel Warrican (85 runs, average 42.5), and Kevin Sinclair (49 runs, average 12.25). This is a shocking statistic considering Babar’s role as the team’s top-order anchor.
| Player | Innings | Runs | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gudakesh Motie | 4 | 92 | 23 |
| Jomel Warrican | 4 | 85 | 42.50 |
| Kevin Sinclair | 4 | 49 | 12.25 |
| Babar Azam | 4 | 45 | 11.25 |
While teammates like Shan Masood (80 runs) and Kamran Ghulam (67 runs) posted better scores, Babar’s inability to capitalize on starts hurt Pakistan’s chances. His poor run in the series highlighted the pressure on him to provide stability, which he failed to deliver, leading to criticism of his performance and Pakistan’s overall loss.