Babar Azam Likely To Be Dropped From Second Test Vs England: Report

In a significant move following Pakistan’s innings defeat to England in the first Test in Multan, star batter Babar Azam is likely to be dropped from the squad for the second Test.

This decision comes after a recommendation from the newly formed selection committee, which convened shortly after the first Test loss. Babar, once considered Pakistan’s best batter, has struggled with form, not scoring a Test half-century since December 2022.

Pakistan captain Shan Masood and coach Jason Gillespie publicly backed Babar, but the selection committee, including names like Aaqib Javed, Asad Shafiq, and Azhar Ali, opted for the omission, believing he would benefit from time away to rediscover his form. Despite some dissent, the majority agreed to the decision.

Babar has been under pressure due to his prolonged dip in form, going 18 innings without a Test fifty and averaging under 21 in 2023. His struggles culminated in the recent series against England, where he managed just 35 runs across two innings.

His form issues follow a turbulent period in his leadership, including his resignation and reappointment as captain in T20Is and ODIs, before stepping down again earlier this year.

Apart from Babar, Pakistan is also dealing with the unavailability of Abrar Ahmed, who remains in hospital. The team might also rest Shaheen Afridi as he continues to struggle with fitness post-injury.

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The second Test, starting on October 15 in Multan, could see further squad changes as Pakistan look to recover from a string of six consecutive Test defeats and move up from the bottom of the World Test Championship standings.

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