"India didn’t bench Virat Kohli when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50"- Fakhar Zaman extends support to Babar Azam amidst poor Test form
Pakistan batter Fakhar Zaman extended support to teammate Babar Azam after reports emerged that the latter would be dropped from the Test side. The reports turned out to be true as the former Pakistan captain was dropped from the squad to play England in the second and third Tests.
Babar scored 204 runs in five games in 2023 at an average of 22.66. His returns dipped further this year as he has so far scored a paltry 148 runs in four Tests at an average of 18.50. Babar has also not hit a half-century in the format since the start of 2023.
After his struggles in the recent Multan Test against England on a flat pitch, Babar Azam faced strong criticism for not stepping up when his team needed the most. Fakhar Zaman, however, jumped in Babar's support, drawing parallels between his and Virat Kohli's lean patch a couple of years back.
He pointed out that Indian team management remained patient and backed Kohli. Zaman felt Pakistan should also do the same with Babar and avoid pressing the panic button. Fakhar wrote on:
"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 sidelining 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."
Pakistan drop Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah for the remaining Tests of the series against England
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officially announced the squad for the second and third Tests of the ongoing series against England. Star players Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Naseem Shah were all dropped following their poor performances in the recent Tests.
Pakistan squad for 2nd and 3rd Tests: Shan Masood (c), Saud Shakeel (vc), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah (wk), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood
Do you think PCB made the right decision by dropping senior players? Let us know your opinions in the comments section.