Former cricketer Basit Ali rooted for Babar Azam to return to the Pakistan setup after being dropped from the squad for the second and third home Tests against England. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reconstituted the new selection committee an hour after Pakistan's historic loss by innings and 47 runs in the opening Test,

Pakistan cricket star Babar Azam wanted to continue playing in the test series against England but has been rested for the two remaining matches.

Babar Azam, is celebrating his 30th birthday today while still out of the playing XI for the second Test against England in Multan

Babar's dropping was collectively recommended by the newly formed selection committee, which met in Lahore within hours of the loss in the first Test

The 29-year-old last scored a Test century in December 2022 and has a top score of just 41 in 18 subsequent innings.

Debutant Kamran Ghulam and young opener Saim Ayub stabilized Pakistan's shaky innings on the first day of the second Test after captain Shan Masood won the toss and chose to bat first on a spin-friendly surface in Multan Cricket Ground in Multan against England.

Kamran Ghulam is only the tenth Pakistan batter to debut at number four for the team, and only the second to ton up.

Kamran Ghulam replaced Babar Azam and in his debut he has been unstoppable. Replacing Babar, Ghulam did not disappoint in the second Test at Multan on Tuesday as he has already brought up his fifty and looks good for more - ideally a century.