Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram expressed his disagreement with Babar Azam's decision to once again take on the responsibilities of captain in the Test series matches. During a charity event in Manchester, Akram stated that instead of taking charge, Babar should have played for the team solely as a batsman.
Referring to events in Pakistani cricket during the tour in England, Akram noted that he did not approve of the choice to make Babar captain. He emphasized that after the second Test, it would have been entirely possible for Babar to remain in the squad as a player, foregoing the captaincy duties.
Wasim Akram added: 'I don't want to blame anyone, and I might be wrong, but in my opinion, Babar should not have taken on the captaincy. It was unnecessary.' His main objection concerned the situation when significant changes occurred in the Pakistan squad before the third Test against England. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) dropped seven players from the team and sent them home, while also making changes to the coaching staff.
When asked about these decisions during the toss, Babar responded that he was unaware of them. Akram used this as an opportunity to mock Babar Azam, asking: 'Babar Azam said he didn't know. If you didn't even know, what were you doing here? Did you come to sell beans?' Akram also pointed out that it is crucial for the team's leader to support the players in difficult circumstances.
The former Pakistani fast bowler also advised that after the second Test, Babar Azam should have made the independent decision to step down from captaincy and play only as a batsman in the remaining series. He stated that if a captain does not support their players, one cannot expect 100% commitment from them.
Earlier, Babar Azam resumed captaincy of the Pakistan team in Tests on July 5, 2026, replacing Shan Masood. Prior to this, he led the team in this format from 2020 to 2023. In his first stint, the team won 10 out of 20 Tests, losing 6 and drawing 4. After returning under Babar's leadership, Pakistan drew two matches of the series against West Indies with a score of 1-1.
However, the tour in England proved extremely unsuccessful for the team. In the first Test at Headingley, England won by an innings and 103 runs, and at Lord's, Pakistan lost by 194 runs. Following two consecutive defeats, the PCB made major changes to the squad, but the result did not change. In the match at Birmingham, England won by 8 wickets, completely dismantling Pakistan's three-match series with a score of 3-0.