The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has issued a show cause notice to opener Fakhar Zaman following his public comments regarding the decision to drop star batter Babar Azam from the squad for the second and third Tests against England.

In a post on social media platform X, Zaman expressed his concerns about the decision to omit "our premier batsman," warning that it could send a "deeply negative message across the team." His remarks came just five minutes before the PCB announced its 16-member squad for the upcoming Tests, which notably excluded Azam, as well as pacers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah.

Zaman's post highlighted his discontent: “It is 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.”

As per PCB regulations, Zaman has seven days to provide an explanation for his comments. This incident adds to the growing tension between Zaman and the board; last month, he expressed frustration to PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi regarding delays in securing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for players wishing to participate in international T20 leagues.

The PCB has defended its decision to drop Azam and other prominent players after Pakistan suffered a historic defeat by an innings and 47 runs in the first Test of the series. A spokesperson for the PCB stated that the decision was made in the "best interest of Pakistan cricket," emphasizing that the players were given rest to return revitalized for future competitions.

This shake-up in the squad coincides with the reconstitution of the men's selection committee, which now includes Aleem Dar, Aaqib Javed, Azhar Ali, and Hassan Cheema as its new members.

It is worth noting that the home side has notably announced their playing XI, featuring four spinners and just one pace bowler. In contrast, England benefits from the return of skipper Ben Stokes. Currently, England leads the three-match Test series 1-0, with the second match scheduled to begin on October 12 in Multan.

Pakistan's Playing XI for the Second Test: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (C), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel (VC), Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood.

England Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wk), Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir