‘Horrible’! Babar Azam’s ‘authority’ questioned after PCB’s dramatic shake-up

Babar's Authority Under Fire After PCB's Shock Pakistan Shakeup 🏏

Michael Atherton has thrown cold water on Babar Azam's leadership credentials, questioning whether any Pakistan captain truly holds meaningful power within the setup—coming hot on the heels of the PCB's dramatic squad overhaul.

What happened?

After losing the opening two Tests, the PCB sent seven players home mid-series. Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, and Imam-ul-Haq were all dropped, with coaches Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul also shown the door. Mike Hesson now takes charge for the decider at Edgbaston from Sept 9.

Atherton's verdict?

"Horrible position for a captain," Atherton said on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast. He questioned how Babar—or any Pakistan captain—can rebuild authority after such heavy board intervention. "This is no way to manage players and no way to build a long-term vision." Even Rashid Latif had earlier called Babar a "dummy captain," suggesting he should have resigned.

Babar's tough return

The 31-yo reclaimed the Test cap from Shan Masood earlier this year, drew vs WI, then missed the 1st Test with injury. He returned at Lord's but scored just 8 and 6 as Pakistan lost by 194 runs—England now lead the series 2-0 with an unassailable edge.

Now Babar faces the daunting task of rebuilding a reshuffled dressing room from scratch. Big question marks over his long-term leadership. 💭

Source: Times of India