Babar Azam Says PCB Squad Overhaul Came Without His Knowledge After Lord’s Defeat

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has revealed that the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to overhaul the Test squad following the defeat at Lord’s was taken without his knowledge, input or approval.

Speaking ahead of the third Test against England at Edgbaston, Babar admitted that he was caught off guard by the sweeping changes and only learned about them after the PCB issued its official announcement.

“It was news to me. I found out after. The PCB decided it, so they’ll be able to explain better,” Babar said.

The captain added that the board must have had its reasons for making the changes and suggested that questions about the decision should be directed to the PCB.

“The PCB’s decision must have been taken after some thought process. It’s better if you ask them why,” he said.

The overhaul came a day after Pakistan suffered a heavy 194-run defeat at Lord’s. The PCB released seven players from the squad, while head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also removed from their positions. Seven new players were subsequently brought into the squad, five of whom are yet to make their Test debuts.

Although Babar said the developments had not made the week particularly difficult for him, he acknowledged that he was surprised by the board’s decision. His comments also highlighted the apparent disconnect between the captain and the PCB’s decision-making process.

Babar also said he had no further information about an inquiry announced by the PCB into reports concerning discipline and conduct within the team. The board had said the matter was being reviewed internally following media reports.

Rather than focusing on the upheaval, Babar insisted that Pakistan’s attention had now shifted towards the third Test. With England already leading the series, the captain urged his players to approach the match with freedom and confidence.

“The series is lost but we have nothing to lose,” Babar said. “We should play freely and believe in ourselves as a team.”

He said the new players had settled into the group and were excited about the opportunity to represent Pakistan.

“We’ve practised a couple of days and explained things to the new boys. Any young player who comes in is excited, and that excitement is visible. I believe that will be visible in the match, too,” he added.

Pakistan’s team selection for the first two Tests had also come under criticism, particularly from high-performance director Aaqib Javed after the Lord’s defeat. Babar, however, defended the decisions made by the team management, saying the selections were based on their assessment of the pitch and conditions.

“We didn’t play well in all three facets as a team,” he said. “And when you don’t get results, then you’ll get plenty of criticism from outside.”

“But we did what we thought was best at the time. The way we read the pitch and conditions, the XIs we went with were what we thought was best at the time. But we did not get the results or performance we expect of ourselves.”

With five uncapped players now in the squad, Pakistan’s playing XI for Edgbaston remains uncertain. Babar said the senior members of the team would need to shoulder greater responsibility, with the captain himself under pressure to deliver.

Babar scored 8 and 6 in the second Test at Lord’s after missing the opening match at Headingley due to a hand injury. He has also never played a Test at Edgbaston.

“As a senior player, you have to take on more responsibility,” Babar said, stressing the need for the team to move on from its recent setbacks.

“I firmly believe you need to grab opportunities and perform in difficult conditions. That’s why we play cricket, because we have to perform and dominate in difficult conditions. We need to forget about past failures and shift focus to the future,” he added.