The decision to leave out Babar Azam, along with former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and top pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, has been backed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
As Pakistan face England in the second Test match in Multan, cricketer-turned-commentator Ramiz Raja has shared his views on the exclusion of former captain Babar Azam from the Test side. The match began on Tuesday, and Raja expressed his thoughts during a segment on Sky Sports Cricket, where he was speaking alongside former England captain Nasser Hussain.
In a clip aired after the toss, Raja was asked about the selectors’ decision regarding Babar Azam, particularly in light of his recent mediocre performances.
ALSO READ: New Zealand pacer ruled out of India Test series, replacement announced
He responded, “It should have been Babar’s call, whether he wanted time out from the playing XI or not. I think it was a knee-jerk reaction, new selectors in, the general opinion was that he needed rest and he was taken out of squad completely.”
Raja emphasized the importance of Babar to Pakistan cricket, stating, “Now we need to understand that he sells cricket for Pakistan and this debate that’s happening right now in Pakistan whether it’s going to be another failure for Babar Azam or whether he’s going to make a comeback and that keeps things interesting.
Right now I don’t see any saleable commodity in this Pakistan team, because sponsors are a little wary as well because Pakistan has been on the losing sequence and there are no real superstars playing in this Test match now.”
The decision to leave out Babar Azam, along with former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed and top pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, has been backed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The absence of these experienced players has led to the inclusion of younger talent in the squad, with Haseebullah, Mehran Mumtaz, Mohammad Ali, and off-spinner Kamran Ghulam stepping in to replace the seasoned quartet.
As the Test match unfolds, all eyes will be on how the team performs without its key players and whether Babar Azam can return to the side and reclaim his spot as a leading figure in Pakistan cricket.
