Former England captain Michael Vaughan expressed his disbelief on Twitter following Pakistan’s decision to exclude Babar Azam from the squad for the second and third Tests against England.
Babar, who has been struggling with his form in red-ball cricket, has not scored a Test fifty since December 2022. His prolonged slump has also coincided with Pakistan’s ongoing winless streak in Test series, which has stretched for over 1,000 days.
Vaughan criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for dropping Babar ahead of crucial matches, labelling the decision “stupid.”
In his tweet, Vaughan remarked, “So Pakistan hasn’t won in a while… Go 1 nil down in the series and decide to drop the best player in @babarazam258… I guess Pakistan cricket is full of surprises but this tops the lot… absolutely stupid decision… unless he has asked for a break!!!”
So Pakistan haven’t won in a while .. Go 1 nil down in the series and decide to drop the best player in @babarazam258 .. I guess Pakistan cricket is full of surprises but this tops the lot .. absolutely stupid decision .. unless he has asked for a break !!!
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) October 13, 2024
Babar’s form in 2023 has been underwhelming, averaging around 21 in nine Tests, with a highest score of just 41. Despite his struggles, many see him as Pakistan’s top player. The PCB, facing pressure due to the team’s poor results, has opted for changes, with Shan Masood taking over the captaincy during the Australia series in 2023, though the team remains winless in six games.
