In the second Test match between Pakistan and England, Kamran Ghulam stole the show on Day 1 with an impressive century on his Test debut. The young batter stepped up to fill the shoes of Babar Azam, who was not selected for the match, and performed brilliantly under immense pressure. Meanwhile, controversy arose as England captain Joe Root was seen rubbing the ball on spinner Jack Leach's head, sparking a debate on the spirit of the game.
Babar Azam, who has been facing a dip in form, is set to be dropped from the Pakistani squad for the second Test against England. This decision comes after the embarrassing defeat in the first Test, in which Babar's string of low scores continued. While captain Shan Masood and Test coach Jason Gillespie have shown public support for Babar, the newly formed selection committee has recommended dropping him for the upcoming match. It is believed that time away from cricket could benefit Babar, who has not scored a Test half-century since December 2020, and he may also miss out on playing in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.
Pakistan Cricket Board announces decision to rest four top players including former captain Babar Azam for remaining England Tests, stating they want him to be "mentally refreshed" for future assignments. Decision comes after Pakistan's loss in Multan Test, despite Babar scoring over 500 runs in first innings. PCB defends their call by touting Babar as "best batsman of his generation" and emphasizing importance of rest for players' well-being.
Fakhar Zaman drew criticism on social media after suggesting that Babar Azam should not be dropped from the Pakistan squad for the remaining Tests against England, despite his poor performance. The opener compared Babar's lean patch with Virat Kohli's tough period between 2020-2023, when he averaged only 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50. The post received negative responses from netizens and Babar was eventually dropped from the squad.
Pakistani cricketer Fakhar Zaman expressed his concern over the decision to drop star batter Babar Azam, who has seen a dip in his form in recent times. Zaman drew a comparison to Indian cricket star Virat Kohli, who was not benched by the Indian team even during a rough patch. Zaman believes that dropping Azam could send a negative message to the team.
Pakistan's decision to drop Babar Azam from the Test squad for the remainder of the series against England has sparked a controversy. Star batsman Fakhar Zaman lashed out at the team management for not "safeguarding" their premier players, citing the example of India's Virat Kohli who struggled for three years but was never benched. Along with Babar, the team management also rested pacers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah, further raising concerns about the direction of the team. The decision also comes amid reports of a spin-friendly pitch being prepared for the second Test, which could have influenced the management's decision to drop the pace duo.
After leading Pakistan to a series win against Ireland and a loss against England, Babar Azam has announced his resignation from white-ball captaincy. Citing a desire to prioritize his batting performance and spend time with family, Azam stepped down from captaincy for the second time. He mentioned the added workload of captaincy and his intention to focus on personal growth and performance.
With Pakistan preparing for their upcoming Test series against England, star batsmen Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were seen showcasing their batting abilities in a recent net session. Rizwan, who was the standout performer for Pakistan in their Test series against Bangladesh, showed off his power-hitting skills against the slower bowlers. Meanwhile, Babar took on Shaheen Afridi, driving his deliveries with ease. With Pakistan's recent struggles in the T20 World Cup and Test series against Bangladesh, all eyes will be on Babar and team to see if they can bounce back against England.
The Pakistani cricket team suffered another setback as limited-overs captain Babar Azam announced his resignation amidst a management crisis that has plagued the team's international performance. With a revolving door of bosses, coaches, and captains, and allegations of nepotism within the sport, Pakistan cricket is facing a leadership crisis. Former captain Rashid Latif describes the situation as being in the "ICU with no specialist for treatment," highlighting the dire state of the team.
In the ongoing first Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh in Rawalpindi, former captain Babar Azam's dropped catch of Mushfiqur Rahim, who was on 150, has been exposed to severe criticism. With the series opener heading towards a draw, Bangladesh's strong response to Pakistan's total of 448/6 has challenged the hosts repeatedly. Babar's underwhelming performance in the match has not helped his case either, making him an easy target for social media trolls.