Ravi Shastri challenges Babar Azam to break mental shackles with blunt mantra: ‘I don’t care if you get out’

Ravi Shastri has offered Babar Azam a blunt mantra to help him break free from what he described as the “mental shackles” and rediscover his attacking best.

Updated on: Feb 9, 2026, 16:06:51 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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Pakistan batter Babar Azam’s spot in the team’s line-up for the T20 World Cup once again came under the scanner after his sedate 15 off 18 balls in the tournament opener, where Pakistan narrowly escaped a scare against the Netherlands at the SSC Stadium in Colombo last Saturday, winning with just three balls to spare.

Ravi Shastri has his say on Babar Azam's batting struggles

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has now offered Babar a blunt mantra to help him break free from what he described as the “mental shackles” and rediscover his attacking best.

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Speaking to Ricky Ponting and Sanjana Ganesan on the latest episode of The ICC Review, Shastri said Babar is currently weighed down by the “weight of expectation” that comes with seniority and reputation. According to Shastri, the former Pakistan captain needs to ease that pressure early in his innings and stop worrying about the risk of getting out.

“When you are at that stage of your career, there’s baggage. There’s a weight of expectation. People expect you to go out there and deliver,” Shastri said.

“Get out there and in your first five balls, I don’t care if you get out, but I want you to make an effort to hit a couple of boundaries. Choose your spot, get into good positions, anticipate what the bowler is doing. You will feel a lot better and things might change.”

Shastri acknowledged that questions around Babar’s place in the playing XI are inevitable in the shortest format but backed the senior batter to respond in Pakistan’s next T20 World Cup fixture against the USA in Colombo on February 11.

“He’s a quality player. We know he’s got the experience to adjust very quickly,” Shastri added. “But he has to do it quickly because the middle overs are a very crucial period of play. In T20 cricket, you can’t give it that much time unless the conditions are really in favour of the bowlers.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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