Du Plessis Wants ‘Honest Conversations’ Between Babar and Hesson for T20 World Cup Role

Former South African captain Faf du Plessis has urged both Mike Hesson and Babar Azam to have clear discussions about the latter’s role in Pakistan’s T20 team. He said Babar Azam is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world, but he needs to evolve his T20 game to make a significant impact in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

"I think all great players evolve their careers at different points. We know Babar as one of the world's best players for a very long time. I think the game of T20 cricket has moved so fast forward into strike rates that he's found himself a little bit behind in terms of strike rates.” said former South African captain Faf du Plessis.

He then urged Mike Hesson to talk to Babar Azam to state clarity about his roles. As per Du Plessis, Hesson should find a way to bring the best out of Babar Azam because he can be a real match winner on tricky surfaces.

"If you're Mike Hesson, you're trying to find the best way to introduce him into the game. On tricky surfaces, there is a role for someone to play in the 120-130 strike rate.” said Faf du Plessis.

“Hesson would have thought, 'how can I get the best out of Babar Azam?' The game has moved too far forward to be at 120-130. Now, you need to be 160 to 190 to 200-plus for you to maximize that first six." added Faf du Plessis.

The former South African captain then called for honesty in conversations, saying it would definitely lead to better results.

"It starts with honesty. That's the groundwork of any conversation that happens. Once you're honest in your conversation [as a coach] then everything flows from that, whereas if you are hopping around and not telling the truth as a coach or a captain, it leads to holes that a player can jump onto. So the nature of the conversation is always really important.” said Faf du Plessis.