Pakistan's batting all-rounder Salman Agha has come out in strong support of former Test captain Babar Azam amidst growing criticism over his recent form with the bat. Babar, who has been struggling to find his rhythm in Test cricket, recently slipped six positions in the ICC Test batters' rankings. His struggles continued in the first innings of the second Test against Bangladesh on Saturday when he managed to score just 31 runs before falling to Shakib Al Hasan.

This marked his 15th consecutive innings without a fifty in Test matches, raising concerns about his consistency at the highest level.

Despite the mounting pressure, Salman Agha defended Babar, emphasising that every cricketer experiences ups and downs in their career. Agha urged fans and critics alike not to overlook Babar's contributions over the past five years, during which he has been a mainstay of Pakistan's batting lineup.

“Babar Azam is a world-class player. As a cricketer, you go through these phases. He has scored consistently throughout the last five years. Soon, we will see him scoring big runs for Pakistan again,” Agha said.

“As a cricketer, you have such phases in your life. There are 10 other players in the team, you should focus on them. It's fine if he's struggling. He will return to scoring big runs very soon.”

On the second day of the Test, Bangladesh's off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz delivered a standout performance, taking 5 for 61 as Pakistan was bowled out for 274. His efforts were ably supported by Taskin Ahmed, who made a strong comeback from a shoulder injury with figures of 3 for 57.

Together, they put Bangladesh in a commanding position, despite some lapses in the field.

Bangladesh eyeing series win

By the end of Day 2, Bangladesh cautiously navigated the final two overs, reaching 10 for no loss and trailing Pakistan by 264 runs. Reflecting on his performance, Taskin Ahmed expressed his satisfaction at returning to red-ball cricket after a year and a half, despite some initial struggles.

The series remains finely poised, with Bangladesh holding a 1-0 lead following their historic 10-wicket victory in the first Test at the same venue. However, the visitors had a scare when Mushfiqur Rahim, the hero of the first Test with a brilliant 191, injured his shoulder while fielding.

His fitness will be crucial for Bangladesh as they look to maintain their advantage in the series.

The opening day of the second Test was washed out due to rain.

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