The precise reasons for Babar Azam’s removal from the three-match ODI series in Bangladesh, which the visitors lost 1-2 with a close loss in the third and final match in Dhaka on Sunday, are still up for debate in Pakistani cricket.
One of the selectors, head coach Mike Hesson, and Babar himself have caused uncertainty amid the argument over whether or not the former captain and outstanding batsman should have been left off the tour.
When the PCB first named the team for the tour to Bangladesh, they did not specify if Babar and a few other veteran players were rested or dropped.
The selection committee was informed that Babar and Fakhar Zaman were injured following the T20 World Cup, selector Aaqib Javed told the media last Saturday.
“It is a surprise for us and we have asked the PCB to probe into the matter and find out how they got injured after the World Cup and whether they played in the tournament fully fit or not,” Javed said.
But a day later, Babar seemed to be mockingly challenging Javed’s assessment of his fitness in a social media post.
Head coach Hesson released a revised statement later in the day following Pakistan’s defeat in the third and final ODI in Dhaka, stating that Babar and other veteran players had been rested to give younger players a chance.
Maaz Sadaqat, Shamyl Hussain, Ghazi Ghori, and Saad Masood were Pakistan’s four uncapped rookies for the ODI series. Sahibzada Farhan and Abdul Samad also made their ODI debuts.
In addition to Farhan and Samad, the team management tried out all four rookies in the series. Hesson was pleased with the young players’ performance and insisted that they had demonstrated their ability to continue playing international cricket.
On social media, some former Pakistani cricketers and fans have called on the PCB to provide an explanation for Babar’s removal.
The head of the high performance center, Javed, has also been accused by the former Pakistani players of having a personal grudge against Babar.
