Babar Azam set to return to domestic red-ball cricket after nearly six years

Pakistan's Test captain Babar Azam is poised to make his return to domestic red-ball cricket for the first time since 2019. The talented batter will don the jersey of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) in the ongoing President’s Trophy Grade-I tournament. Farah Batool, the sports head of the department, confirmed the news to Dawn on Monday. Babar has not played a domestic first-class match since leading Central Punjab to the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy victory on December 30, 2019.

Since reappointment as Pakistan's Test captain in July, Babar has led the national side to notable victories, including a 1-1 draw against the West Indies and a 3-0 series whitewash of England. As he prepares to rejoin the OGDCL squad, Babar will fly back to Pakistan from the UK on September 16 and join the team the following day. His custom-made kit has been ordered to ensure he is fully equipped for the match.

OGDCL is currently playing Pakistan Television in their President's Trophy opener in Islamabad. Babar's potential involvement in this match is subject to his performance in the subsequent games. Dawn reports that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) offered Babar the opportunity to play as a guest player for OGDCL. This move is part of the PCB's recent efforts to encourage established players to participate in domestic first-class cricket.

Other prominent Pakistan international cricketers are also set to play in the President's Trophy. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan's One-day International captain, will represent KRL, while T20I skipper Salman Ali Agha will play for Kingsmen Academy. Babar's decision to rejoin the domestic circuit after a long absence has been met with some criticism.

Over the past four years, he has struggled to score a century in Test cricket. However, his recent form during Pakistan's West Indies tour has shown promise, as he was named player of the series after top-scoring with 196 runs in the two-match series. In contrast, during the England series, Babar's batting scores were less impressive, standing at eight, six, seven, and 76. He missed the opening Test due to injury.