Pakistan captain Babar Azam has expressed surprise over the Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision to remove head coach Sarfraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul, while also sending seven players back home midway through the Test series against England.
The sudden changes have created significant uncertainty around the squad at a crucial stage of the series.
Babar said he was not informed about the decisions before they were taken and only learned about the major changes after they had already been made.
He suggested that the PCB would be in a better position to explain the reasons behind the shake-up, while making it clear that the decisions were not something he had expected during the ongoing England series.
Despite the disruption, Babar remained supportive of the younger players brought into the squad.
With Pakistan already trailing 2-0, he described the final Test at Edgbaston as a “golden opportunity” for the newcomers to prove themselves at the international level.
He believes the team now has little to lose and can approach the match with freedom, confidence and an attacking mindset.
