'It should have been Babar's call' - Ramiz Raja on senior batter's exclusion from remaining England Test series

Pakistan's cricket selectors recently made a bold decision to exclude star player Babar Azam from the remainder of the Test series against England. The decision sparked debate and criticism, with former Pakistan batter Ramiz Raja voicing his displeasure over the decision.

The announcement came after Pakistan's recent struggles in Test cricket. The team has lost its last six Test matches, including three at home. Azam, once considered the backbone of Pakistan's batting lineup, has been experiencing a significant dip in form. Since the beginning of 2023, the 30-year-old has averaged under 21 in nine Tests, failing to score a single half-century in the last 17 innings.

Following Pakistan's innings defeat in the opening Test at Multan, the selectors decided to exclude not only Babar but also pacers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah for the next two Tests. Raja, speaking to Sky Sports Cricket, expressed his concerns about the decision-making process. 

"It should have been Babar's call, whether he wanted time out from the playing XI or not. I think it was a knee-jerk reaction, new selectors in, the general opinion was that he needed rest and he was taken out of the squad completely," he said.

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Babar Azam sells cricket for Pakistan: Ramiz Raja

Raja emphasized the importance of the star-batter, both on and off the field. The former raised his concerns over the current Pakistan team's lack of star power and that Babar has the ability to attract fans to the stadiums. 

"Now we need to understand that he sells cricket for Pakistan and this debate that's happening right now in Pakistan whether it's going to be another failure for Babar Azam or whether he's going to make a comeback and that keeps things interesting. Right now I don't see any saleable commodity in this Pakistan team, because sponsors are a little wary as well because Pakistan has been on the losing sequence and no real superstars are playing in this Test match now," he added.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has defended its decision, stating that the players were spared from the team to give them rest so that they could come back afresh. However, this explanation has done nothing to the controversy surrounding Babar's exclusion.