Babar Azam reaffirmed his commitment to playing all three formats, saying players should not choose formats. After inconsistent international form, he regained momentum in PSL 2026 with 588 runs and two centuries. He highlighted the value of Test cricket for skill and patience ahead of Pakistan’s Test series against Bangladesh.

New Delhi: Former Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has shut down talk of whether he would continue to play all formats and reaffirmed his desire to continue playing in all three formats, saying a player’s job is to play, not to decide which format to skip.

Babar has been a mainstay for Pakistan across formats for the majority of his career, but in recent times the 31-year-old has struggled to make runs on a consistent basis, and the right-hander failed to make much of an impression during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup earlier this year.

But a title-winning run as captain with Peshawar Zalmi in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has revived Babar, who scored two centuries across 11 matches to finish as the leading run-scorer at the tournament with a record-equalling 588 runs in 11 matches.

"My focus is on all three formats. It’s not for the player to decide (which format to skip); a player’s job is to play. In my opinion, every player should play every form of cricket. You shouldn’t focus only on the white ball or T20s. Red-ball cricket gives you immense experience. It teaches you how to build an innings and gives you patience," said Babar in a post-match presser following the PSL 2026 title run.