Pakistan captain Babar Azam has revealed that he was completely blindsided by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to drastically restructure the national squad ahead of the final Test match against England. Speaking on Tuesday, the eve of the third Test at Edgbaston, Babar admitted that the sweeping changes were “news to me” and that he only became aware of the overhaul after the board issued an official statement.
The PCB’s decision followed heavy defeats for Pakistan at Leeds and Lord’s. In response to the poor performances, the board sent seven players home and dismissed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed along with his assistant, Umar Gul. The vacant coaching roles for the Edgbaston clash have been filled by white-ball coach Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke, while the squad has been bolstered by five players who have yet to make their Test debut.
When pressed for clarity on the board’s reasoning, Babar suggested that the PCB should be the ones to explain the move. “The PCB decided it, so they will be able to explain better. The PCB’s decision must have been taken after some thought process. It’s better if you ask them why,” he stated in Urdu.
Despite the turmoil, Babar is viewing the situation as a fresh opportunity for the remaining players to prove their worth. He noted that none of the current squad members, including himself, have previously played a Test match at the Edgbaston venue. “The series is lost but we have nothing to lose,” he said, urging his team to play with freedom and self-belief.
Babar, who missed the innings defeat at Headingley due to a finger injury and struggled at Lord’s with scores of 8 and 6, emphasized that senior players must now lead by example. He stressed the importance of overcoming past failures and focusing on the future, noting that performing in difficult conditions is the fundamental challenge of professional cricket.
Meanwhile, England captain Joe Root dismissed suggestions that Pakistan has lacked fight during the series, labeling such claims as “disrespectful” to both teams. Root argued that England’s dominance is a reflection of their own high-quality play and ability to read match situations quickly, rather than a lack of effort from their opponents.
Reflecting on his own form, Root acknowledged that he has found the summer challenging, averaging 29.44 across five Tests on pitches that have heavily favored seam bowling. He has been dismissed lbw nine times in his last seven matches and has faced particular difficulty with wicketkeepers standing up to the stumps.
Despite these struggles, the England skipper remains optimistic about his batting. “You’re always looking to find ways of improving and there’s always going to be something to contend with,” Root said. He added that he finds the technical challenge enjoyable rather than worrying, viewing each match as a chance to do something special for his country. The report also notes that we should play freely and believe in ourselves as a team.”. The report also notes that where Pakistan lost by 194 runs, he missed the innings loss at Headingley because of a finger injury and made only 8 and 6 at Lord’. The report also notes that i think it’s very easy to say one team is excellent and one team is poor.
