Azam Khan Reveals Why He Hasn't Focused on His Fitness

Not many players in Pakistan’s recent cricketing history have polarized the fans as much as Azam Khan. The wicket-keeper batter possesses every attribute of a modern cricketer except for the most crucial one: fitness.

Since making his debut in 2021, the only debate surrounding Azam has been about his weight issues, and the 27-year-old has finally opened up about what has been the main reason behind his slow progress.

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Speaking in an interview with PakPassion, Azam Khan was forthright about the challenges of managing weight and performance.

“Right now, I am in Lahore and trying to work on my fitness and game at the NCA. My weight loss won’t happen in a couple of weeks or days—it needs time,” Azam said. He then went on to explain what has been keeping him from getting on the right track.

“For the past four or five years, I have been playing a lot of cricket, so I didn’t have the chance to properly focus on my fitness.”

Despite not finding a consistent place in Pakistan’s international team, Azam Khan has become a regular feature in T20 leagues across the world. With world-class talent around him, Azam’s sub-par fitness has been shielded from scrutiny, which seemingly dissuaded him from taking his fitness journey seriously.

“I had some bad eating habits, but that’s not an excuse anymore,” he admitted.

Azam Khan, who last represented Pakistan at the 2024 T20 World Cup, remains hopeful of a return to the national fold after overcoming his weight issues. He believes only consistent hard work will allow him to sustain a career at the top.

“The plan is to play at the highest level, and for that, you have to train to be the best. Many players have played internationally but then disappeared. If I want to sustain myself, I need to work twice as hard as I am now,” Azam stressed.

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Pakistan’s head coach Mike Hesson has made his standards clear, and if Azam hopes to get back into national selection, he has his work cut out for him.

Despite the setbacks, Azam Khan insists the journey is far from over. His newfound commitment to fitness suggests a player eager to rewrite his narrative. If he can turn things around, the hard-hitting batter is the perfect player for the new-look Pakistan team who wish to enter the modern era as well.

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