On the eve of the third Test at Edgbaston, Babar Azam said that the PCB’s decision to make seven personnel changes prior to the last match caught him off guard. Shoaib Akhtar was not in the mood to be tactful about what this revealed, and it cast a lengthy shadow on the internal structure and operations of the Pakistan team management.
Shoaib Akhtar, a former fast bowler for Pakistan, has publicly criticised Babar Azam’s character and leadership, claiming that neither the present captain of Pakistan nor the larger management team can be expected to make solid or forceful judgements. His comments were made as Pakistan, who were trailing by 268 runs in the third Test at Edgbaston after being bowled out for 133 in their first innings against England’s total of 453, faced a series whitewash against England.
The criticism came following a tumultuous mid-tour time during which Pakistan’s defeat at Lord’s led to the removal of seven players from the touring squad by the Pakistan Cricket Board. The PCB acted the day following Pakistan’s loss at Lord’s, quickly eliminating seven players from the touring team, in addition to head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul.
Out of the seven replacements selected, five had never played Test cricket. For a mid-series overhaul, the magnitude of the upheaval was astounding, and what was even more shocking was the captain’s role in it. Babar said that he was not notified beforehand, was not consulted, and had no involvement whatsoever in the decision. Like everyone else, he learned when the statement was made public.
In response to the topic of whether Babar could have handled the squad revamp in a different way, Akhtar contrasted his own strategy with what he saw in the present captain. He clarified that Babar’s behaviour was indicative of a larger trend in the captain’s play and judgement. Beyond Babar, Akhtar criticised the entire system.
Akhtar said, “So, as of now, the failure belongs to the system. And the bet that we had placed, the investment we had made, that investment is in front of you. But, you know, you cannot expect a strong decision, or a very firm decision, from people like them.”
