Sun Oct 13 17:50:00 UTC 2024: ## Pakistan Drops Babar Azam Amidst Criticism: “Rest” or “Drop”?
**Multan, Pakistan:** Pakistan’s star batsman Babar Azam has been left out of the squad for the second and third Test matches against England, sparking heated debate among fans and former players. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has attributed the decision to “current form,” citing a rest for Babar, along with Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah. However, earlier reports suggested Babar’s omission was due to poor performances.
Babar has been struggling across all formats, particularly in Tests, where he hasn’t scored a fifty in his last 18 innings. His recent performance in the Multan Test, where he was dismissed despite a flat pitch, further fueled the controversy.
Pakistan’s overall performance in the first Test was also underwhelming. Despite scoring over 500 runs in their first innings, they suffered an innings defeat, a historic first for a team surpassing the 500-run mark.
Fakhar Zaman, a fellow Pakistan player, took to social media to express his displeasure with Babar’s omission, drawing comparisons to India’s handling of Virat Kohli during his lean patch. He questioned the rationale behind dropping Babar, arguing that such a move could send a negative message to the team.
“India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch… If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, it could send a deeply negative message across the team,” Zaman stated.
Besides Babar, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah have also been excluded, with their performances in recent matches deemed insufficient. Abrar Ahmed, recovering from dengue fever, is also missing from the squad.
The PCB has called upon a mix of uncapped and experienced players to fill the vacancies, including Haseebullah, Mehran Mumtaz, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Ali, and Sajid Khan. Noman Ali and Zahid Mehmood have also been recalled to the squad.
The omission of Babar Azam and other key players has created a wave of uncertainty surrounding Pakistan’s Test strategy. The debate over “rest” or “drop” is likely to continue, with fans and experts alike eagerly awaiting the team’s performance in the upcoming matches.
First Piper 