Pakistan cricket team has once again grabbed the headlines. This time, the news is that the Pakistan selectors have left out Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi from the Test team for the upcoming match against England. Instead, the team management has decided to give a chance to Kamran Ghulam along with spin bowlers because they will play on a used pitch in Multan.
The decision to leave out Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi stunned the Pakistan fans because both players played a major role in the rise of the nation’s cricket team over the last few years. Azam had been the team’s most reliable batter, while Afridi destroyed the opposition batting lineups with his left-arm pace bowling.
Although the backroom staff has claimed that both players have been ‘rested’, it is evident that they have been dropped in the middle of the series after an embarrassing innings defeat in Multan. Here are two reasons why Pakistan’s decision to drop Babar Azam and Shaheen makes sense.
1. Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi underperformed in Tests for a long time
If fans have been following Pakistan’s Test cricket closely over the last two years, they would have observed that Azam and Afridi have been quite ordinary in their respective departments. Azam has not touched the 50-run mark even on the batter-friendly surfaces. On the other side, Afridi’s pace has reduced significantly, leading to poor results with the red ball.
With an abundance of talent available, it made sense to leave out the two heroes of the 2021 T20 World Cup win against India. Perhaps, a break can help them get better in Tests.
2. Pakistan made the right decision by changing its strategy
Team like India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have enjoyed success at home against SENA countries by preparing spin-friendly surfaces. However, Pakistan relied only on batting and tried to salvage draws against their opponents in Test cricket.
The upcoming Test will take place on a used surface, meaning spinners will have a role to play here. In a spin-friendly game, it made sense to have an in-form batter like Kamran Ghulam over Babar Azam. Also, Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah’s inclusion would not have made sense on a surface that supported spinners.
