Babar Azam, the former skipper of Pakistan has been left out while pace bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah pulled out of the last two Tests against England, the first time in his 54-test career that Babar will be “rested” from the red-ball format. His performance has been under scrutiny since the turn of 2023, especially in Tests, as he hasn’t registered a half-century in the last 18 innings. Babar has been struggling from poor form since a very long time now. In nine Tests played this year, Babar has scored only just below 21. Form issues are also threatening Shaheen, who was rested or dropped for the second Test against Bangladesh last month and for the final Test in Sydney back in January.
Pakistan’s overall performance has also been underwhelming, posting over 500 runs in their first innings yet still suffering an innings defeat—the first time in Test history that a team has lost by an innings after scoring more than 500 runs.
Fakhar Zaman Slammed PCB For Resting Babar Azam
Fakhar Zaman was one of the most vocal voices among the Pakistani players as he felt the compulsion to condemn the decision to send Babar on a break. He took to social media to make a comparison between this and how India treated Virat Kohli when the latter failed to score from 2020 to 2022. Though Kohli averages less than 30 over three years, he did not ever get out of the Indian XI. According to Fakhar Zaman it is extremely worrying that Babar Azam is made to sit out.
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…
---Advertisement---— Fakhar Zaman (@FakharZamanLive) October 13, 2024
“India didn’t bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023 (2022), 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.” Zaman wrote on X.
Fakhar Zaman Gets Brutally Criticized For Comparing Virat Kohli With Babar Azam
Virat Kohli at 22 won the WC, at 24 won CT, Test captain at 26 scored 4 centuries in Australia. 7 double centuries, 6 of them came in the span of 16 months.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 13, 2024
After all this he had a lean patch, not mentioning his heroics in between, comparing this to Babar is a serious offence. pic.twitter.com/S3dadbFu9V
Virat at 29 was already >>> entire Pakistan.
— Johns (@JohnyBravo183) October 13, 2024
This obsession with comparing with Virat destroyed Babar's whole career.
Stick to your own cricket or else you'll meet the same fate.
coz your career is also irrelevant outside that fluke CT 17 final in which a no ball saved you. pic.twitter.com/P2QWSoQvhI
Virat Kohli during 2020-2023 phase
— Pari (@BluntIndianGal) October 13, 2024
Most runs in India tour of Australia.
Most runs in England tour of India
Most runs in Ind vs Pak 2021 WC
Good test series in South Africa
Most runs in Asia cup 2022.
Most runs in WT20 2022
Meanwhile Babar Azam is good for nothing in the…
Virat vs Zimbabar 😂😂 @FakharZamanLive now see the comparison pic.twitter.com/4HiKJMgCTq
— Arvind kannaujiya AK94 (@Asliarvind1) October 13, 2024
SENA countries centuries
— Arvind kannaujiya AK94 (@Asliarvind1) October 13, 2024
Whole team = Virat Kohli 👑 pic.twitter.com/PQNrRiZOmP
Audacity to compare Kohi and Babar
— Ash (@Ashsay_) October 13, 2024
Kohli's legacy is better than the entire Pakistan pic.twitter.com/7AKc7nlNIE
Did you know
— rae (@ChillamChilli) October 13, 2024
Virat Kohli’s rough patch >>>>> Babar Azam’s whole career.
Even taking Kohli's name in the same sentence as Babar is an insult to Kohli.
— Roshan Rai (@RoshanKrRaii) October 13, 2024
Please make your comparisons by using names of players like Tatenda Taibu or Innocent Kaia
Only in Pakistan will you see, an active cricketer is defending one of their teammates on social media because he is dropped. 😂
— Aditya Saha (@Adityakrsaha) October 13, 2024
The talk is about Babar, why do you bring Kohli into the picture? Why is everything about India in your country?
— Lord Immy Kant (Eastern Exile) (@KantInEast) October 13, 2024
In Tests, the star player of India Virat Kohli has scored 8947 runs in 115 matches, this includes 29 centuries and 30 half centuries. While, Babar Azam has scored 3997 runs in 55 matches, this includes 9 centuries and 26 half centuries.
Pakistan will be playing their second Test against England starting October 15.
Pakistan Squad (for 2nd and 3rd Tests): Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Haseebullah (wicket-keeper), Kamran Ghulam, Mehran Mumtaz, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha and Zahid Mehmood.
