Fakhar Zaman has come out in strong defense of Babar Azam after the star batsman was dropped from Pakistan's squad for the second and third Test matches against England. 

In a post on X, Fakhar voiced his concern, drawing a parallel to India’s handling of Virat Kohli during his rough patch between 2020 and 2023. He noted that despite Kohli’s dip in form during those years, where the Indian captain averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, India didn’t bench him. Fakhar highlighted the potential negative impact of sidelining Babar, considered one of Pakistan’s finest batsmen.

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," Fakhar wrote.

"There is still time to avoid pressing the panic button; we should focus on safeguarding our key players rather than undermining them," he further added.

Babar Azam’s exclusion, along with Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi, was reportedly based on the need to give them rest following a challenging international schedule. However, critics argue that removing the captain and star player from a crucial series could impact team morale.