'Babar Azam should be dropped': Former cricketer Zaheer Abbas criticizes skipper's form

Babar Azam’s position in the Pakistan cricket team is under heavy scrutiny after cricketing legend Zaheer Abbas publicly called for his removal from the squad due to a prolonged slump in form.

Abbas, often referred to as the "Asian Bradman" for his remarkable batting achievements, made his remarks at the Cricket Predicta Conclave in Ajman, UAE, during the celebration of the international cricket talk show’s 100th episode.

"Babar Azam should be dropped from the team," Abbas stated. "If he’s not scoring runs, because if he’s our main batsman and he’s out of form, he should be out of the team."

His comments follow Babar’s disappointing performances during Pakistan’s recent Test series against Bangladesh, where he scored 0, 22, 11, and 31 in four innings. Pakistan went on to lose the series, and Babar’s dip in form has led to him being dropped from the ICC top 10 rankings for batters for the first time in several years.

The downturn in Babar’s form has raised concerns after Pakistan’s early exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup, where they suffered defeats to both the USA and India, resulting in a group-stage elimination.

Reports suggest that Babar’s captaincy, particularly in white-ball cricket, is now under review, with speculation mounting over a potential change ahead of Pakistan’s upcoming tour of Australia in November.

Abbas also dismissed comparisons between Babar and Indian batting icon Virat Kohli, calling the discussion "baseless" given the contrast in their current performances.

"The comparisons are pointless. Virat Kohli scores in every match, the other player (Babar) doesn’t score in any match, so then how can you compare? The person who scores is the bigger player," Abbas remarked.

Pakistan’s next Test challenge comes against England as part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25, with the first Test scheduled to be played in Multan from October 7-11.

Pakistan squad for first Test against England: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel (vice-captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicket-keeper), and Shaheen Shah Afridi, Zahid Mehmood.

Pakistan, England Test series schedule:

• 7-11 Oct – First Test, Multan
• 15-19 Oct – Second Test, Multan
• 24-28 Oct – Third Test, Rawalpindi