Babar Azam thrown out of Pakistan Cricket Team; international future in darkness

Babar Azam is set to be the most high-profile omission as Pakistan prepares for major changes ahead of the second Test after their crushing defeat against England in the three-match Test series opener at the Multan Cricket Stadium in Multan.

The decision to drop the former Pakistan captain has stunned the cricket world, with insiders revealing that the newly formed national selection committee has made the bold recommendation to drop Babar from the playing XI for the second Test against England, starting on October 15 in Multan.

Major changes ahead for Pakistan as Babar Azam set to be dropped for the second Test against England

The selection committee, which convened immediately after Pakistan's humiliating loss to England in the first Test, met twice over the weekend to deliberate on the team's future. High-ranking officials, including the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi and the recently appointed mentors, were involved in the intense discussions in Lahore and Multan.

Babar Azam’s exclusion is undoubtedly a stunning decision, but this move hints at a clear shift in strategy as Pakistan looks to overhaul its squad for better results in the upcoming matches. However, after the first Test, Pakistan captain Shan Masood voiced his strong support for Babar Azam, referring to him as the country’s "best batter" and urging that players be given more time to find their form.

Even the red-ball head coach Jason Gillespie echoed Masood’s sentiments. However, behind the scenes, the selection panel has a different view on the current situation of Pakistan cricket and Babar Azam. According to ESPNCricinfo, the national selection committee collectively agreed that Babar might benefit from stepping away from the team temporarily, given his ongoing struggle for runs.

Pakistan's selection committee dropped Babar Azam from national team

Babar has not managed to score a half-century in Test cricket since December 2022, raising concerns about his form with the bat. The newly appointed selection committee has prominent figures including Aaqib Javed, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, former ICC umpire Aleem Dar, and analyst Hassan Cheema, alongside the captains and head coaches Gillespie and Gary Kirsten (white-ball).

The most shocking thing was that neither Masood nor Gillespie were part of the key selection meeting held on Friday (October 11) in Lahore. The selectors then traveled to Multan on Saturday (October 12) to meet with both the captain and coach, as well as PCB curator Tony Hemming.

During these discussions, some mentors supported keeping Babar in the squad, while the majority of the members wanted to drop the right-handed batter from the national team. It's still uncertain whether Babar will participate in the upcoming Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, set to start on October 20.

Babar Azam not scored a Test half-century in his last 18 innings

Notably, Babar hasn't played in this first-class competition since 2019. His form has come under intense scrutiny, particularly after his lackluster performance against England, where he managed only 35 runs across the two innings on a flat pitch at Multan Cricket Stadium.

He struggled with deliveries, getting beaten on both his inside and outside edges in consecutive innings. Since the beginning of 2023, Babar’s Test average has dipped below 21 across nine matches, adding to the pressure surrounding his future with the Pakistan cricket team.