Former England cricketer Michael Vaughan voiced his frustration after Pakistan dropped Babar Azam from the second Test against England, following their 1-0 deficit in the ongoing three-match series.
“Pakistan haven’t won in a while… Go 1-0 down in the series and decide to drop their best player, @babarazam258… Pakistan cricket is always full of surprises, but this one tops the lot. Absolutely a stupid decision… unless he asked for a break!” Vaughan posted on X.
On Sunday, Pakistan made the surprising decision to drop Babar, along with Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Sarfaraz Ahmed, for the remaining two Tests in the series.
Aaqib Javed, from the selection panel, explained the move, stating, “Selecting the squad for the upcoming Tests against England has been challenging. We’ve had to consider player form, the urgency to bounce back, and Pakistan’s 2024-25 international schedule. We believe this break will help these players regain their fitness and confidence, ensuring they return in top form. They remain among our best talents, and we are fully committed to supporting them during this period.”
Babar, who recently stepped down as white-ball captain, has faced criticism for his recent struggles with the bat. His last 50-plus score in Test cricket came 18 innings ago, during the Multan Test against New Zealand in December 2022.
Pakistan have been under pressure, especially after being whitewashed 2-0 at home by Bangladesh and losing the first Test to England, despite posting 556 runs in the first innings.
