Babar kept in dark over Pakistan's drastic squad overhaul for England Test

Babar Azam admitted on Tuesday that he discovered the Pakistan Cricket Board's dramatic squad restructuring through official channels rather than direct communication from the board. Speaking ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston, the captain acknowledged the surprise, saying the decision "was news to me" after he "found out after" the PCB's public announcement.

The PCB responded to heavy defeats at Leeds and Lord's by removing seven players from the squad, sacking head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and assistant Umar Gul. The board brought in five replacements with no Test experience and drafted white-ball coach Mike Hesson alongside Ashley Noffke to lead the team at Edgbaston.

When asked about the overhaul, Babar deferred to the PCB for explanations, suggesting the board's decision had followed a deliberate thought process. He framed the changes as providing an opportunity for players to demonstrate their abilities under new circumstances, though he stopped short of elaborating on his own role in the selection process or lack thereof.

The wholesale restructuring marks one of Pakistan cricket's most dramatic mid-series interventions in recent memory, undertaken as the team faces elimination in the Test series against England.