In the wake of Babar Azam’s surprising exclusion from Pakistan’s squad for the second and third Test matches against England, fellow cricketer Fakhar Zaman has publicly defended the star batsman.
Fakhar took to social media platform X to express his concerns, drawing comparisons to how India managed Virat Kohli during his period of poor form.
Fakhar highlighted that despite Kohli’s struggles between 2020 and 2023, where he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, India chose not to bench their captain. Instead, they continued to support him, recognizing his value and potential to bounce back. Fakhar Zaman suggested that Pakistan should adopt a similar approach with Babar Azam, who is widely regarded as one of the country’s finest batsmen.
In his post, Fakhar stated,
It’s concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively. If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan has ever produced, it could send a deeply negative message across the team. There is still time to avoid pressing the panic button; we should focus on safeguarding our key players rather than undermining them.
It’s concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively. If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan…
— Fakhar Zaman (@FakharZamanLive) October 13, 2024
The decision to exclude Babar, along with fast bowlers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi, was reportedly made to provide them with rest following a demanding international schedule. However, the move has sparked debate, with critics arguing that removing these three key players from such a crucial series could adversely affect team morale and performance.
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