Ex-India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin criticised Babar Azam's slow knock in the Champions Trophy 2025 opener against New Zealand. Stating that his knock was "very difficult" to watch, he said, "Where was...intent? Did you keep it at your home? There are no shots in his armoury. Such innings weren’t even played in the 1990s." Babar scored 64 runs off 90 deliveries.