Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali reckoned that Babar Azam will return in the squad after being dropped from the squad for the second and third home Tests against England. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reconstituted the new selection committee an hour after Pakistan's historic loss by innings and 47 runs in the opening Test, the star quartet featuring Babar, former captain Sarfraz Ahmed and speedsters Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah were left out of the team.
After Babar's exclusion from the squad, the cricket fraternity shared mixed opinions about the decision. Some analysts and experts anticipated that the decision would stem from Babar’s inability to score a fifty in his last 18 Test innings.
In Babar's absence, Kamran Ghulam made a strong impression with a century on his Test debut, igniting further debate about his inclusion in the squad.
However, Basit expressed confidence in the former captain's return to the team, suggesting that Babar is likely to make a comeback after the two-Test matches.
"He still has a place in the team. He will return to the team after two Test matches," Basit said on his YouTube channel.
Basit Ali on Pakistan future captain
In addition to Babar's exclusion from the squad, the PCB must also address the issue of his successor for the white-ball captaincy.
Babar's removal was announced just days before Pakistan's three-Test series against England, which kicked off in Multan. Various reports and rumours suggest that several candidates are being considered for the vacant position.
But Basit believes there are only two candidates suited for the role, "Mohammad Rizwan or Salman Agha will be the next white-ball captain."
According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Babar's decision to step down from captaincy reflected his desire "to focus more on making a greater impact as a player."
Babar Azam-led Pakistan was the semifinalist of T20 World Cup 2019 and the finalist in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
However, Pakistan Cricket are currently at their lowest as they failed to perform since the 2022 T20 World Cup 2022 final. The Men in Green failed to perform 2023 ODI World Cup after that they faced their biggest defeat in the T20 World Cup 2024 where a non Test playing nation defeated them in their opener clash of the marquee event.
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