Babar Azam has been dropped for the remaining two Tests against England. The 29-year-old has been a key batsman for Pakistan. Following a dramatic slump in form, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have “rested” the former captain.
Babar Azam’s form leads to squad exclusion
Babar Azam has been Pakistan’s best batsman over the past few years. Many believe he is the best talent Pakistan has produced in recent years. Having made his name as a white ball specialist, the 29-year-old has been unable to repeat the success in Test match cricket. Babar Azam is still ranked 12th in the ICC rankings in test matches and has now been omitted.
A steady slump in form has seen Babar Azam come under heavy scrutiny. Azam has not scored a test fifty for Pakistan since December 2022. Drastic changes were needed after Pakistan suffered a record-breaking defeat against England. However, the omission of Barber seems a step too far as the PCB looks to turn the squad around.
Internal politics at the PCB haven’t helped Azam at all. The 29-year-old was appointed Pakistan’s captain in all formats in 2020, following a successful spell that led his PSL side. Babar Azam was axed from the role in November 2023 after Pakistan’s disastrous ODI World Cup, where they were eliminated from the group stages. However, just four months later, following a leadership change at the PCB, Azam was again appointed as the man to inspire the nation. Whilst it started swimmingly the second time around, group-stage elimination in the T20 World Cup led Azam to resign.
Azam’s Omission Leads to Widespread Criticism
Once news of Babar’s exclusion was announced, there was a huge outcry in Pakistan. Many fans believe the PCB should have backed their star batsman in this rough patch of form. Others have pointed to Joe Root, who the England Cricket Board backed and has now become England’s highest run scorer in test match cricket.
While the PCB has reiterated to their supporters that the decision is purely based on rotation, many fans aren’t satisfied. Fans are also expecting to boycott the game as Barber won’t feature. The PCB is hoping to recall Azam ahead of the white ball series against Australia.
It isn’t just the fans who are expressing their anger. Current Pakistan player Fakhar Zaman released a statement on X. Zaman said, “It’s concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively.
“If we are considering side-lining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan has ever produced, it could send a deeply negative message across the team. There is still time to avoid pressing the panic button; we should focus on safeguarding our key players rather than undermining them.”
Is Babar Azam’s omission justified? Comment below