AUS vs PAK | Mickey Arthur responsible for Babar Azam’s lower order batting position, reveals Azhar Ali

Under Arthur, the talented Azam would walk in to bat at No.6 prompting Azhar to express his concern over the right-hander’s place in the batting order. Questions are raised heavily on Babar Azam’s batting position in the recent past, with the right-handed batsman scoring heavily in Pakistan’s second innings against Australia. His hundred in the second innings was a mixture of some eloquent shots, and also prompted critics to raise questions over his position in the batting order. 

“The previous management had assigned him a lower number in the batting order so that he got started [in the longest format] but no one had any doubts in his ability," Azhar said to the Times Now. "But now we are thinking to promote him up the order gradually. We all know how good he is but we also need to keep him at a position where he keeps on scoring," he concluded.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister and former all-rounder Imran Khan too expressed that the talented right-handed batsman must bat early in the order at No.4, with the others being promoted down the order. In response to the Prime Minister, Azhar revealed that it was already on the cards ahead of the second Test against Australia.