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Babar Azam Pakistan Squad Changes: Pakistan captain Babar Azam has revealed that he had no prior knowledge of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s dramatic decision to remove seven players and send two coaches home during the ongoing Test series against England. The sweeping changes came after Pakistan slipped to a 2-0 deficit in the three-match series, with the second defeat at Lord’s triggering a major overhaul ahead of the final Test in Birmingham. 

Babar Claims PCB Kept Him Out Of Key Decisions

Babar Azam said that the decisions were taken without involving him, leaving the Pakistan captain to learn about the developments only after they had been made.

"I was not consulted. It was news to me as well. I only found out about all these things later. PCB made the decisions, so they can explain it to you better,"

The captain’s comments offer a glimpse into the extent of the authority exercised by the PCB during the latest crisis.

Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were recalled from England and replaced for the third Test by Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke respectively.

The playing group was also reshaped. Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman and Khurram Shahzad were among those sent home after featuring in the second Test. Aamir Jamal and Awais Zafar were also released despite not playing in the series.

Babar’s Second Test Captaincy Stint Under Pressure

Babar Azam returned to the Test captaincy after Shan Masood was removed from the role, but the switch has yet to produce the turnaround Pakistan were hoping for.

They drew their two-Test series against the West Indies 1-1 before England moved firmly ahead in the ongoing campaign.

The hosts have already secured the series with one match still to play.

Babar himself missed the opening Test against England because of injury, returning for the second match at Lord’s. However, Pakistan suffered another heavy defeat, leading to the PCB’s unprecedented mid-series intervention.

The final Test at Birmingham now carries significance beyond the scoreline. Pakistan are trying to avoid a 3-0 whitewash, while Babar’s comments have added another layer to the debate over how much say the captain has in major team decisions.