Babar Azam faces uncertain future as Pakistan cricket experts question PCB
Pakistan Test skipper Babar Azam faces an uncertain future as cricket experts question the PCB following a difficult series against England.
Pakistan Test skipper Babar Azam is facing mounting pressure over his leadership future following a difficult series against England, as reported by Crictoday. The national team surrendered meekly in the opening two matches, prompting widespread turmoil within the news cycle surrounding the Pakistan Cricket Board. The 31-year-old skipper has seen his team suffer defeats in the first two Tests against the hosts, with the side currently sitting at the bottom of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 points table.
Following the defeat at Lord's, sweeping changes were made to the touring party. Seven players and two coaches were sent home ahead of the Test at Edgbaston starting 9 September 2026. Cricket expert Nauman Niaz discussed the inner workings of the setup with former batter and selector Mohammad Wasim, suggesting that Babar's tenure as captain is hanging by a thread. Wasim noted during the discussion that all decisions will be taken by Mike Henson, who replaced Sarfaraz Ahmed as the head coach.
Media additions
"It is over for him. This could be his last Test as captain, and if he doesn’t perform, he could meet the same fate as Salman Agha."
Nauman Niaz, Cricket expert, via Crictoday
The turmoil deepened with high-profile departures from the coaching staff. According to Cricketaddictor, Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed was removed from his position and bowling coach Umar Gul was shown the exit. Mike Hesson was brought in for the third test, despite his primary role as white-ball coach, a shift that added further confusion as Aaqib Javed's influence was cut down. These shifts follow the earlier high-profile exits of former Test coach Jason Gillespie and white-ball coach Gary Kirsten, both of whom reportedly stepped down over disagreements concerning their powers and autonomy.
Former Pakistan captain and wicketkeeper-batter Rashid Latif launched a scathing attack on the Pakistan Cricket Board, headed by Mohsin Naqvi, over what he termed a "remote-controlled" approach to managing the national team. Latif questioned the board's logic in deploying specific personnel only to bypass them. The 57-year-old posted his criticism on X.
"If the team had to be run by remote control, then why were Sarfaraz and Umar Gul sent? Why were the selection powers taken away from Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie? And if captain Babar Azam wasn’t listening, the captain should have been sacked — so why were Sarfaraz and Umar Gul sent back instead? Is Babar Azam the next target?"
Rashid Latif, Former Pakistan captain, via X and Cricketaddictor
Additional controversy surrounds the axing of individual players. Salman Ali Agha, who captained the side in the first Test, was dropped for the second and subsequently sent home alongside Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq. Niaz noted that Rizwan could stand up to the management and has his own principles, which could lead to confrontation. Meanwhile, inquiries are ongoing regarding the legitimacy of Imam's injury, with an inquiry taking place over a period of five days to clear whether the injury was legitimate. Neither Hesson nor Aaqib Javed reportedly knew the reason behind Salman's axing.
The timing and scale of the changes have drawn questions from other notable figures in the sport, including former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain, alongside former Pakistan players Ramiz Raja, Basit Ali, and Shahid Afridi. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has defended the drastic changes. The administration maintains that tough decisions were necessary for the betterment of the national side after its poor performance in Test cricket. Pakistan had earlier brought Babar back into the role after removing Shan Masood, and under Babar managed to draw a two-match Test series against the West Indies before the situation quickly became worse in England.
What to watch next
- The third and final Test match between England and Pakistan begins on 9 September 2026 at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
- Further clarity is expected from ongoing inquiries into player conduct and injuries within the touring dressing room, including the conclusion of the five-day inquiry regarding Imam-ul-Haq's injury status.
- Decisions regarding Babar Azam’s permanent captaincy future will likely be determined by his performance in the upcoming fixture at Edgbaston.
