‘Grapes’! Babar Azam’s ‘authority’ has been called into question after the PCB’s dramatic shake-up

Michael Atherton has questioned Babar Azam’s authority and the role Pakistan captains can play after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made sweeping changes to the Test squad midway through the England series.Pakistan suffered defeats in the opening two Tests and responded by sending home seven players. Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha and Imam-ul-Haq were among those removed from the team while coaches Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul were also asked to leave.Mike Hesson will now take charge of the team for the third and final Test at Edgbaston starting on September 9.The extent of the changes placed Babar under increasing scrutiny. Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has already claimed that Babar should have stepped down after seven players were sent home, while labeling him a “dummy captain”.Atherton has now questioned whether Babar, or indeed any Pakistan captain, has enough clout in the line-up to lead effectively after so much board intervention.The former England captain believes the changes could have lasting consequences for Pakistan, regardless of what happens in the final Test.“In this case, no, no, because of the damage it will do in the long term. This is no way to manage players and certainly no way to build a long-term vision,” Atherton said on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.“I feel it’s a terrible position for captain Babar Azam to be in – and what authority does he, or indeed any Pakistan captain, have in that outfit?” he added.

Atherton questions Babar’s authority

Atherton suggested that the events of the England tour could make it extremely difficult for Babar to gain authority over the Pakistan dressing room.He acknowledged that modern-day captains do not have the same control they once had, but insisted that the captain still needs to have a meaningful say in team affairs.“You understand the captain is not all-powerful today, you don’t go back 30 years when they might have run the show, but they have to have some authority in the team,” Atherton said.The former England captain then raised the question of how Babar can move forward after the PCB’s crackdown.“Given what happened, how are you leading the team now?” he added.

Babar’s Difficult Return

Babar regained Pakistan’s captaincy from Shan Masood earlier this year after Bangladesh defeated Pakistan in their two-match series.His side subsequently drew the series against the West Indies before traveling to England.The 31-year-old missed the first Test against England through injury but returned for the second match at Lord’s.However, his comeback did little to ease Pakistan’s batting woes. Babar only scored 8 and 6 as Pakistan suffered another heavy defeat.England won the Lord’s Test by 194 runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.With seven players removed and the coaching staff reshuffled, Babar now faces the challenge of leading a much-changed Pakistan side in the final Test at Edgbaston.