‘Horrible’ Situation: Babar Azam’s Leadership Authority Questioned Amidst Dramatic PCB Shake-up
The Pakistan cricket setup has been plunged into turmoil following a radical intervention by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), prompting former England captain Michael Atherton to raise serious concerns regarding the future of Babar Azam’s authority as the national team captain.
The board’s decision to execute a mid-series purge—sending seven players home and removing key coaching staff members—has sent shockwaves through the cricketing world. Among those released were notable names such as Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, and Imam-ul-Haq, while the coaching duo of Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul was also relieved of their duties.
A Leadership Crisis
The sweeping changes come in the wake of two consecutive, demoralizing defeats against England. With Mike Hesson stepping in to oversee the squad for the third and final Test at Edgbaston, the focus has shifted toward the viability of Babar Azam’s leadership. Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has been particularly vocal, labeling Babar a “dummy captain” and suggesting he should have resigned in protest of the board’s heavy-handed tactics.
Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Michael Atherton expressed deep skepticism about the long-term impact of the PCB’s actions.
“Not in this instance, no, because of the damage it will do in the long term,” Atherton remarked. “This is no way to manage players and no way to build a long-term vision at all. I feel it’s a horrible position for a captain, Babar Azam, to be in—and what kind of authority does he, or indeed any captain of Pakistan, have in this outfit?”
Erosion of Captaincy Control
Atherton acknowledged that the modern game has seen a natural decline in the absolute power once held by international captains. However, he emphasized that a leader must still possess a fundamental level of influence to maintain the respect and cohesion of the dressing room.
“One understands that the captain is not all-powerful these days, you’re not going back 30 years ago when they perhaps ran the show, but they have to have some authority within a team,” Atherton added. He posed a poignant rhetorical question that now looms over the Pakistani camp: “Given what’s happened, how do you lead that team now?”
An Uphill Battle
Babar Azam’s return to the Test captaincy—reclaimed from Shan Masood earlier this year—has been fraught with difficulty. After missing the opening Test due to injury, Babar returned for the second match at Lord’s, only to struggle with the bat, managing scores of just 8 and 6 as Pakistan fell to a 194-run defeat.
As Pakistan prepares for the final Test at Edgbaston, the atmosphere remains tense. With the side trailing 2-0 and the squad’s morale reportedly fractured by the board’s interference, Babar faces arguably the greatest challenge of his tenure: attempting to rebuild a team that has been dismantled from the top down.
