Can Babar replace Fakhar as Pakistan’s playing XI for Asia Cup takes shape?

There is a famous quote: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” This phrase perfectly sums up the situation Pakistan cricket finds itself in as the 2025 Asia Cup approaches.

With reports suggesting Babar Azam may be considered for a return to the T20I squad due to Fakhar Zaman’s injury, Pakistan risk repeating old mistakes by falling back on past stars instead of sticking to their newly adopted, aggressive T20I template.

Fakhar’s Injury and its implications

Fakhar’s hamstring injury during the T20I series against the West Indies has left a significant void. Ruled out of the last T20I and ODI leg of the tour, he is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. With the Asia Cup around the corner and no confirmation on Fakhar’s fitness, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is understandably working on contingency plans, one of which reportedly includes recalling Babar.

The Babar dilemma

Babar’s potential return raises an important question: is Pakistan ready to pivot back to a conservative batting approach for the Asia Cup after months of preaching and practicing aggressive cricket?

Since coach Mike Hesson took over the white-ball setup, Pakistan’s T20I side has adopted a bold and modern style of play. Youngsters like Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan have solidified their positions as openers, bringing explosive intent to the powerplay, something the team previously lacked. This new approach helped Pakistan clinch a 2-1 T20I series win over the West Indies, showing promising signs of evolution.

Captain Salman Agha echoed this sentiment, praising Saim and Sahibzada’s consistent starts and hinting that the current opening pair is likely to remain untouched.

What does Hesson think?

Hesson has always been vocal about selecting “like-to-like” replacements and maintaining team balance. Before joining Pakistan, he openly discussed the importance of this philosophy on his YouTube channel. When Fakhar was injured before the 2025 Champions Trophy, Hesson was critical of Imam-ul-Haq’s selection, arguing that he mirrored Babar’s style rather than Fakhar’s aggression. He preferred Usman Khan for the role due to his attacking nature.

Now that Fakhar is injured again, Hesson may resist replacing him with Babar, who brings stability but lacks the explosive power Pakistan now seeks in the top-order. The squad already has Khushdil Shah, a left-hander with finishing abilities, and Mohammad Nawaz, another spinning all-rounder who can bat in the middle order. Both can replicate the left-handed dynamic Fakhar provided, especially crucial on spin-friendly subcontinent tracks.

Hesson has repeatedly stressed the importance of maintaining a consistent lineup. His approach is rooted in providing players with security to play their natural game without fear of being dropped after a few failures, a fear that has plagued Pakistan teams in the past.

Squad stability vs reputation

The current playing XI has shown signs of settling. The opening pair of Saim and Sahibzada looks promising, with Mohammad Haris retaining the one-down spot despite a few poor series. Hasan Nawaz’s performances at number four have been impressive, solidifying a strong top-four.

Salman Agha plays an anchor role at five, while Khushdil and Nawaz provide flexibility and finishing power at six and seven.

Hesson has emphasized the need for an all-rounder at number eight, someone who can contribute with both bat and ball in pressure situations. Faheem Ashraf appears to be the front-runner for that role, providing Pakistan with a pace-bowling option and some late-order hitting.

The rest of the bowling attack is expected to include two frontline pacers from the pool of Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Salman Mirza, Hasan Ali, or Ahmed Daniyal. A specialist spinner, likely Sufiyan Muqeem or Abrar Ahmed, would slot in at No. 11, supported by Nawaz’s left-arm spin and part-time options like Saim, Khushdil, and Salman.

With the XI nearly locked, the question arises: where does Babar fit?

Seniority call?

Former women’s captain Sana Mir believes Babar should be given a chance in the tri-series against Afghanistan and UAE ahead of the Asia Cup. She stressed that if the selectors see him as part of the bigger plan, he should be tested in that series and can’t be benched because of his reputation and seniority.

Pakistan can no longer afford to include players based solely on past performances or seniority. The new setup is performance-driven, role-specific, and aligned with the modern demands of T20 cricket.

More importantly, Babar himself is competing only for the opening slot. Hesson made it clear ahead of the Bangladesh tour that Babar is not being considered for middle-order roles. With the current openers delivering, Babar’s role may be limited to being a squad player or injury backup, a bitter pill to swallow for one of Pakistan’s premium batters, but perhaps a necessary step for team progress.

With Salman Agha already anchoring the innings, there’s no room for a second anchor like Babar. This makes Fakhar, if fit, a much more versatile and valuable asset.

Should Babar be in the playing XI?

If Pakistan wants to stick to their new philosophy of fearless, aggressive cricket, bringing Babar Azam back into the XI, especially at the expense of a more attacking option, would be a step backward. He remains an experienced and accomplished batter, but in the current setup, he doesn't offer a unique skillset that the team lacks.

However, if Fakhar remains unfit and Babar performs in the ODIs, he could serve as a backup opener, ready to slot in if needed, but not part of the starting XI unless form or fitness dictates otherwise.

Pakistan cricket is finally building an identity. Now is the time to stick with it, not retreat into old habits. Babar’s inclusion should be based on performance, role fit, and team balance, not nostalgia or reputation. Only then will Pakistan avoid becoming a real-life example of that famous quote about insanity.