PAK vs ENG: Former Australian cricketer defends PCB's decision to drop Babar Azam from Test squad

Former Australian cricketer Brad Hogg has expressed his views on the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) decision to exclude star batter Babar Azam from the Test squad for the upcoming second and third matches against England. The announcement was made on Sunday, October 13, as Pakistan prepares for the second Test at Multan Stadium on October 15.

Babar's exclusion follows a dismal performance this calendar year, where he has scored only 148 runs across four matches, averaging just 18.50. Notably, the former captain has struggled to reach the fifty-run mark, with his last half-century recorded in December 2022. This troubling form has raised concerns about his position in the team.

The decision to drop Babar has ignited a heated debate among fans and cricket pundits on social media. Many have criticized the PCB's choice, arguing that it reflects poorly on the board's support for its players.

In a show of solidarity, fellow cricketer Fakhar Zaman took to Twitter, drawing a parallel between Babar’s current struggles and those of Indian cricket star Virat Kohli, who faced a similar drought of runs from 2019 to 2022. Zaman highlighted that while India backed Kohli during his tough times, Pakistan chose to drop its star player.

Hogg weighed in on the controversy, countering the comparison between Babar and Kohli. He remarked that while India enjoyed a commendable win percentage during Kohli's struggles, Pakistan's win rate has been significantly lower during Babar's recent slump.

"Comparing bad form between Babar Azam & Kohli after rumours the Pakistan legend will be dropped for the 2nd test v England is baseless. India: 2nd best win % during Kohli's draught. Pakistan: 2nd worst win % through Babar's. Hard decisions need to be made!" Hogg tweeted.

In addition to Babar Azam, the PCB has also dropped pacers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah from the squad for the upcoming Test match, signaling a shift in strategy as the team seeks to improve its performance.

Pakistan squad for second and third Tests vs England: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah (wicket-keeper), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood.