Babar Azam’s slide continues, Pak batsman suffers ranking blow after Lord’s Test
Babar Azam’s last Test outing at Lord’s brought another setback as the Pakistan skipper dropped out of the ICC’s top 10 in the latest Test batting rankings.
Babar dropped five places to 15th after a miserable match against England in which he managed just 14 runs in two innings. Fall is only weeks away after finally returning to the top 10 after a long absence.
The 31-year-old climbed back into the elite group in August after nearly two years outside the top 10. His 88 and unbeaten 24 against the West Indies helped him jump five places to 10th, marking his first return to the top 10 since September 2024.
However, this revival proved to be short-lived. Babar’s struggles continued at Lord’s as the Pakistan batting repeatedly folded against the English attack. Pakistan were bowled out for just 110 in the first innings before being dismissed for 194 while chasing 389 in the second. England won by 194 runs in the three Test series, he leads unassailably 2-0.
Babar’s latest chart slide adds to the pressure surrounding the batsman, who has not scored a Test century since December 2022. His long drought has now stretched to 36 innings, further heightening questions about his red ball.
ABBAS, ALI, SHAKEEL MAKE BIG PROFITS
While Babar suffered, several Pakistani players moved up sharply after their performances at Lord’s.
Mohammad Abbas was the biggest beneficiary among the Pakistani bowlers. His nine-wicket haul took him up 10 places to 15th in the Test bowling rankings. Mohammad Ali also climbed 11 places to 81st after taking five wickets.
Saud Shakeel enjoyed an even bigger jump among the batsmen. His determined 97 in Pakistan’s second innings lifted him 15 places to 18th, making him the country’s second-highest-rated Test batsman behind Babar.
However, individual gains will offer little consolation to Pakistan after two heavy defeats in England.
They now head to Birmingham for the third Test, starting on September 9, with their pride at stake. After an innings defeat in the first Test and a 194-run defeat at Lord’s, Pakistan must find an answer at Edgbaston to avoid a whitewash.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
02 Sep 2026 16:44 IST