'He Sells Cricket For Pakistan': Ramiz Raja Says Babar Azam's Exclusion For England Tests Has Got 'Sponsors Worried'; Video

Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ramiz Raja opined that the viewership of the second Test against England will go down due to the absence of Babar Azam. The ex-opener believes sponsors are quite nervous, given Pakistan cricket's recent results and the absence of a superstar player in the 2nd Test against England.

Pakistan made wholesale changes and dropped Babar, Shaheen, and Naseem from the 2nd Test after a humiliating innings loss in the opening game. Babar was a notable exclusion, but the right-hander has had a significant dip in his performance and has gone 18 innings without a half-century in Tests.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Ramiz said Babar is the one selling cricket for Pakistan and that dropping him might not be the right call.

"Now we need to understand that he sells cricket for Pakistan and this debate that's happening right now in Pakistan whether there's going to be another failure for Babar Azam or whether he's going to make a comeback and that keeps things interesting. Right now, I don't see any saleable commodity in the Pakistan team because sponsors are a little wary as well because Pakistan has been on a losing sequence and there are no real superstars playing in this Test match now."

"I think it was a knee-jerk reaction" - Ramiz Raja

The 62-year-old also questioned the selectors for making the call on behalf of Babar as it should have been the latter's call, adding:

"It should have been Babar's call whether he wanted time out from the playing XI or not. I think it was a knee-jerk reaction, new selectors in, the general opinion was that he needed rest and he was taken out of the squad completely."

Pakistan, meanwhile, won the toss and opted to bat first in the 2nd Test in Multan.