Pakistan Test captain says the sweeping squad changes after the Lord’s defeat came as a surprise and that he was not consulted.
WEB DESK: Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam has revealed that he was not consulted before major changes were made to the national squad following the team’s heavy defeat to England at Lord’s.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston, Babar said the sweeping changes came as a surprise to him and that he only learned about them after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made its announcement.
Babar says changes were “news” to him
Babar said he was also surprised by the decision to overhaul the squad.
“It was news to me as well. I also came to know about it later,” he said, according to reports from the press conference.
The Pakistan captain added that since the PCB made the decision, the board was in a better position to explain the reasons behind the changes. He said the decision must have been taken after consideration by the relevant authorities.
Seven players sent home
The PCB made sweeping changes after Pakistan suffered a 194-run defeat against England at Lord’s, a result that gave England an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match Test series.
Seven players were subsequently released from the squad, including Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Aamer Jamal, Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad and Muhammad Awais Zafar.
Seven replacements were brought into the squad, with five of the newcomers yet to play a Test match.
Coaching staff also changed
The squad overhaul was accompanied by changes to Pakistan’s coaching setup.
Head coach Sarfraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were removed from their positions following the Lord’s defeat. They were replaced by Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke, respectively.
Babar said the changes did not necessarily make the week difficult for him, although he acknowledged that he was surprised by the developments.
Pakistan face England in third Test
Pakistan enter the third and final Test at Edgbaston needing to avoid a series whitewash after England secured victories at Headingley and Lord’s.
The changes have given several younger and less experienced players an opportunity to make their Test debuts as Pakistan attempt to finish the series on a positive note.
Babar also rejected suggestions that his own recent Test performances should automatically place him under the same scrutiny as players who were sent home.
The captain pointed to his recent performance against the West Indies, where he was named Player of the Series, as evidence of his contribution to the Test side.
The third Test will therefore be closely watched as Pakistan begin a new-look campaign following one of the most significant mid-series changes to the squad in recent times.
