BIRMINGHAM (Dunya News) – Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam has admitted he was surprised by the recent changes to the national Test side but said he accepts the decisions taken by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Speaking to the media in Birmingham, Babar said he also learnt about the changes later and believed the board must have had considered reasons for making the decisions. He added that the PCB would be in a better position to explain why particular changes were made.
“I was also surprised by the changes and came to know about them later, but I accept the PCB’s decisions,” Babar said. “When results are not good, changes in the team keep happening.”
The Pakistan captain said senior players have to take responsibility and adapt their performances to different playing conditions. He also spoke positively about Edgbaston, saying the Birmingham ground had been fortunate for him in the past and that he hoped to produce another strong performance there.
Babar acknowledged that Pakistan had failed to perform well in their previous match, with the team unable to make an impact in all three departments.
“As a team, we did not play well in the last match and failed to perform better in all three departments,” he said.
He described the changes as an opportunity for the newer members of the squad, urging them to make the most of their chances and demonstrate their abilities.
Babar also addressed the criticism that follows when players fail to deliver on the field. He said discussions and scrutiny were inevitable when performances fell short, but pointed towards his own record in the most recent series.
“When you do not perform, there is talk,” he said. “But if we talk about performance, I was the Player of the Series in the last series.”
The senior batter said there was nothing particularly difficult about the situation and stressed that the changes provided an ideal platform for younger players to establish themselves.
“It is not difficult. It is a great opportunity for the new players to prove their abilities,” Babar said.
On the decision to make changes to the Test team, Babar reiterated that players must be able to perform in different conditions. He said the PCB would not have made the changes without considering the circumstances and that the board could explain the rationale behind the decisions more clearly.
Babar's comments came as Pakistan prepared for their Test assignment in Birmingham, with the captain also highlighting the importance of taking responsibility as a senior member of the side and delivering according to the demands of varying conditions.