Were you here to sell chickpeas? Wasim Akram slams Babar Azam over England tour chaos

Pakistan legend Wasim Akram has slammed Babar Azam's leadership during the England tour, questioning what the star batter was doing as captain if he was unaware of major changes to the team.

In Short

• Wasim Akram criticised Babar's claim of ignorance over Pakistan squad changes
• PCB sent seven players home after Pakistan lost the opening two Tests
• Akram said players struggle when captains do not publicly back them

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has criticised Babar Azam's leadership during the England tour and questioned why he took up the Test captaincy in the first place.

Speaking alongside former Pakistan pacer Waqar Younis at a charity fundraising event in Manchester, Akram was particularly critical of Babar's claim that he was unaware of the major changes made to Pakistan's squad and coaching staff after the first two Tests.

Pakistan lost the opening two Tests before the PCB sent seven players home and made changes to the coaching staff. Babar was asked about the changes during the toss ahead of the third Test in Birmingham. He said the developments were news to him as well and directed questions towards the PCB.

Akram was not impressed with Babar's response. "Babar Azam said he did not know. If you don't know, then what were you doing here? Were you here to sell chickpeas?" Akram said.

The former Pakistan captain also questioned how players could give their best if they did not feel their captain was standing by them. "As a player or as a person, I believe that if your leader or captain does not stand by you, you cannot give 100 per cent," he added.

Akram felt Babar should have stepped away from the captaincy after Pakistan's second defeat and continued playing only as a batter.

"I do not want to blame anyone, and I could be wrong as well. But in my opinion, Babar should not have taken the captaincy. All of this was unnecessary," he said. "My suggestion is that after the second Test, Babar should have said that he would play only as a player," Akram added.

BABAR'S TEST RETURN

Babar replaced Shan Masood as Pakistan's Test captain on July 5. It marked his return to the role after previously leading the team in Tests from 2020 to 2023. During his first stint, Babar captained Pakistan in 20 Tests, winning 10, losing six and drawing four.

Pakistan began his second stint with a 1-1 draw in the West Indies before travelling to England. The England series, however, quickly slipped away from Pakistan. Ben Stokes' side won the first Test at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs before beating Pakistan by 194 runs at Lord's.

The two defeats prompted the PCB to make major changes. Seven players were sent home and the coaching set-up was reshaped ahead of the third Test. The changes made little difference.

England beat Pakistan by eight wickets at Edgbaston to complete a 3-0 series sweep, leaving Babar's leadership under further scrutiny.

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