LONDON – Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam has said there is nothing wrong with leaving a senior player out of the playing XI, stressing that whoever is best for the team will be selected.
Speaking at a press conference in London ahead of the second Test, Babar acknowledged that Pakistan have struggled with sudden collapses after building good partnerships.
“We are trying to address this weakness,” Babar said, explaining that when a new batter arrives at the crease, the established batter often gets dismissed soon after.
Commenting on the pitch, Babar said there was visible grass on the surface and that the final playing XI would be decided later. He added that no player is unimportant and that opportunities are sometimes given to players to boost their confidence.
Babar also said wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan was under no pressure.
The Pakistan captain stressed that responsibility rests with the entire playing XI and cannot be placed solely on the bowlers.
“It cannot be that the bowlers take 20 wickets and the batters do nothing,” he said.
Babar confirmed that he is fully fit and will feature in the Lord’s Test. He added that Pakistan would aim to complete a hat-trick of victories at the iconic venue.
