Rashid Latif questions Babar’s future after PCB shake-up

ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has raised fresh questions over Babar Azam’s future in the national Test setup after a major shake-up by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) during the ongoing England tour.

The PCB’s decisions have triggered debate within Pakistan cricket after seven players were sent home and Test head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were removed from the touring party midway through the series.

Latif questioned the logic behind the changes, particularly the decision to send the two coaches back while concerns were raised about key team decisions allegedly being influenced remotely.

“If the team had to be run by remote control, then why were Sarfaraz and Umar Gul sent?” Latif asked in a post on X, also questioning previous changes involving Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie.

His comments came after national selector and High Performance Centre director Aqib Javed defended the PCB’s actions. Javed reportedly said the team management in England had not followed recommendations from the national selection committee while selecting the playing XI for the second Test.

Latif then turned the same argument towards the captaincy, raising the possibility of Babar Azam becoming the next major figure under scrutiny.

He questioned why the captain would not face consequences if he had also failed to follow instructions from the selection committee.

“And if captain Babar Azam wasn’t listening, the captain should have been sacked — so why were Sarfaraz and Umar Gul sent back instead? Is Babar Azam the next target?” Latif wrote.

The remarks have added another layer to an already turbulent England tour for Pakistan. The PCB’s mid-series intervention has sparked widespread discussion over selection authority, coaching responsibilities and the chain of command within the team.

Babar remains one of Pakistan’s most prominent players, but Latif’s comments suggest that the ongoing restructuring could put several senior figures under the spotlight.

With the Test series already under intense scrutiny, the coming matches could prove crucial not only for Pakistan’s results but also for the future direction of its Test setup.