Sherfane Rutherford just dropped a powerful message of support for Babar Azam on X, echoing a sentiment that Babar himself once offered to Virat Kohli during his own challenging run. It’s a heavy reminder that even the game’s biggest stars aren’t immune to slumps, and right now, Babar Azam is feeling the heat.
Babar Azam’s Struggle and the Unwavering Backing
Babar Azam’s pressure cooker is really starting to boil, especially after he couldn’t deliver for his country in that Tri-series final against Sri Lanka. Dude walked out there and got a five-ball duck. A *duck*! Pakistan nearly choked that whole tournament, and it just highlights the fact that this is his seventh straight innings without hitting a fifty since May. Remember when everyone was putting him right up there with the “Fab 4”? That feels like a minute ago, doesn’t it?
But you gotta give props to Pakistan batting coach Mike Smith. He’s not wavering, quickly saying the management has Babar’s back. And Smith isn’t alone. West Indies batter Sherfane Rutherford, who famously said he was “shocked” Babar wasn’t Player of the Tournament after the 2021 T20 World Cup final, also jumped in to show some love on X. He borrowed a line straight out of Babar’s own playbook from 2022, sending a short but meaningful message with the hashtag #BabarAzam.
The Echo of a Classic Message
Rutherford’s message was short, informal, and perfectly clear to anyone who remembers the original: “This too shall pass; stay strong, buddy.” That iconic line dates back to July 2022 when Babar first used it to support Virat Kohli. Kohli had just fallen for 16 against England at Lord’s in the second ODI, and India got absolutely crushed by 100 runs. At that point, Kohli hadn’t scored an international hundred since November 2019. Babar posted a photo of them together, captioning it, “This too shall pass. Stay strong. #ViratKohli.” Kohli actually replied a couple of days later, thanking him publicly: “Thank you. Keep shining and rising. Wish you all the best 👏.” Babar even explained later that he hoped to give Kohli some support, acknowledging that “anyone can go through such a time.”
It’s wild how things come full circle. That phrase even got thrown back at Babar himself in October 2022 after he got a duck against India at the T20 World Cup, with Danish Sait tweeting, “Babar, this too shall pass.” Rutherford’s message, though, is the total opposite of that. It’s pure, unadulterated support, a reminder of the shared struggles of elite athletes. It just goes to show you, no matter how big you are, everyone hits a rough patch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply