Keep Babar Away From English Media, Urges Ex-Captain: Former Pakistan captain Rashid has advised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to carefully manage Babar Azam’s media appearances during the upcoming Test series against England.
Pakistan are preparing for a three-match series in England, with the opening Test scheduled to begin at Headingley in Leeds on August 19. Babar will lead the side after returning to the Test captaincy following Shan Masood’s stint in the role.
Speaking on a television programme, Rashid warned that Babar could attract considerable attention from the English media during the tour. He suggested that the PCB should consider allowing other experienced players to handle more of the team’s media responsibilities.
According to Rashid, touring teams can come under intense scrutiny in England, making media management an important aspect of the series.
He recommended Shan Masood as the primary option to face the media, pointing to the left-hander’s previous experience of playing and interacting with journalists in England.
Rashid also identified Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Abbas as players who could share media duties during the tour.
The suggestion comes as Babar begins his second Test series as Pakistan captain since taking charge of the red-ball side again. His return follows a challenging period for Pakistan under Masood, whose captaincy ended after a difficult sequence of results.
The England tour will be Pakistan’s first Test visit to the country since 2020 and will contribute to the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.
The series will start at Headingley from August 19 to 23 before moving to Lord’s for the second Test from August 27 to 31. The final match is scheduled to take place at Edgbaston in Birmingham from September 9 to 13.
Pakistan squad for England Test series
Babar Azam (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah.
