Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has questioned Babar Azam’s future after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made major changes to the Test team during the England tour.
The PCB recently sent seven players home during the series. The board also removed Test head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul from the touring group.
The changes have sparked a debate about who controls Pakistan’s Test team. Latif has questioned the reasoning behind the decisions. He also asked why the PCB sent Sarfaraz and Gul home if officials still wanted to influence team decisions from a distance.
“If the team had to be run by remote control, then why were Sarfaraz and Umar Gul sent?” Latif wrote on X.
He also referred to earlier changes involving Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie. The PCB had previously reduced their authority over selection matters.
Latif Questions Babar Azam’s Position
National selector and High Performance Centre director Aqib Javed recently defended the PCB’s actions. Javed said the team management in England ignored recommendations from the national selection committee when it picked the playing XI for the second Test.
Latif then applied the same argument to Babar Azam.
He questioned whether the PCB should also consider removing the captain if Babar ignored instructions from the selection committee.
“If captain Babar Azam wasn’t listening, the captain should have been sacked,” Latif said. “So why were Sarfaraz and Umar Gul sent back instead?”
Latif then raised another question about the Pakistan captain.
“Is Babar Azam the next target?” he asked.
PCB Decisions Under Scrutiny
The comments add to the growing discussion around Pakistan’s Test setup. The PCB has made several changes while the team competes in England. Those decisions have raised questions about coaching roles, selection powers and the authority of the captain.
Babar remains a key figure in Pakistan cricket, but Latif’s comments show that the recent shake-up has also put the captaincy structure under the spotlight.
The PCB has not announced any decision to remove Babar from the Test setup. Latif’s remarks represent his own criticism of the board’s approach.
Pakistan must now manage the off-field controversy while continuing its Test campaign in England. The team will also face pressure to deliver results after the PCB made such significant changes during the tour.
For now, Babar’s position remains unchanged. However, the questions surrounding the captain could continue if the disagreement between the team management and the selection committee grows.
