Babar Azam, the talented batsman and former captain of the Pakistan cricket team, will be missing from the squad for the last two tests against England in the ongoing three match series. The 30-year-old right-handed batsman was excluded from the Pakistan XI for the final two Tests, which was announced on a Sunday. But while talking to the media ahead of the second test, assistant coach of Pakistan, Azhar Mahmood, asserted that the sulking potatoes star batter who is turning 30 on Tuesday, October 15, has not been dismissed from the team but rather rests for the remaining matches.
As described by him, Babar was keen on playing the matches yet the new selection committee did not allow it and rather allowed him to rest. ‘Babar is still our top player, and this request came so as not to jeopardize Babar’s participation in the TEAM tours lined up for later on.
“Babar hasn’t been dropped. He has been rested. The management too appreciates the fact that there has been a lot going on in the past few months. Psychologically, there are always limits to how strong one can be, and it stays at the back of the mind. He was willing to play. But it was the decision for him and the Pakistan team that he would be rested so that he can come back fresh. Because of that, we are playing straight until April next year.” Mahmood informed reporters on Monday.
“Babar is our first choice player, there is no argument about that, his technique and ability. If one observes Pakistan’s FTP, there is a lot of cricket getting organized. For that reason, the selection committee came to the conclusion that since this was the right period to rest Babar, it was the right. That was after we had been to Zimbabwe and then to Australia, and there’s also a South Africa tour. So that’s why it’s crucial too,” he added.
Azhar noted that the same was done with pace bowlers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi, and they too have been rested, not dropped.
“Fast bowling I guess this was the third Test played under a new management. Well before that as well we had been struggling as we were trying to figure out how to take 20 wickets. So, Since then it has been more about spin for us. There were also a few niggles. Naseem (Shah) had a few niggles, and Shaheen (Afridi) had already played a lot of cricket. So, we thought it best to rest him,” he added.
