As Pakistan squares off against England in the second Test in Multan, Ramiz Raja, former cricketer and now commentator, has expressed his dissatisfaction with Babar Azam’s exclusion from the squad.
Speaking during a broadcast segment, Ramiz shared his thoughts on the controversial decision, which he believes was a “knee-jerk reaction” by the new selectors.
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Why does Ramiz Raja believe Babar shouldn’t have been dropped?
During a discussion with former England captain Nasser Hussain, Ramiz Raja explained that Babar Azam’s recent form should not have led to his removal from the team. According to him, the decision to leave it up to the selectors instead of the player was unfair.
Ramiz remarked, “It should have been Babar’s call, whether he wanted time out from the playing XI or not. I think it was a knee-jerk reaction, new selectors in, the general opinion was that he needed rest and he was taken out of the squad completely.”
Ramiz further emphasized Babar Azam’s importance to Pakistan cricket, not just as a player but as a figure who brings sponsorship to the sport.
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“Now we need to understand that he sells cricket for Pakistan and this debate that’s happening right now in Pakistan whether it’s going to be another failure for Babar Azam or whether he’s going to make a comeback and that keeps things interesting,”
With Pakistan’s recent poor run of form, he noted that the absence of players like Babar leaves the team lacking star power, which could affect sponsorships
“Right now I don’t see any saleable commodity in this Pakistan team, because sponsors are a little wary as well because Pakistan has been on the losing sequence and there are no real superstars playing in this Test match now.”
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What has Been Babar Azam’s struggle in Test Cricket lately?
Babar Azam’s recent form in Test cricket has become a significant concern for Pakistan. Since his impressive 161-run knock against New Zealand in December 2022, Babar has been unable to score a half-century.
Across his last nine Test matches, he has struggled to find his rhythm, managing an average of less than 21. In 18 consecutive innings since January 2023, he has failed to surpass the fifty-run mark. His recent struggles were evident in the first Test against England, where he managed only 35 runs across both innings.
