Sunil Gavaskar slams Pakistan cricket's Babar-Rizwan plans

Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has slammed Pakistan Cricket’s plans for senior players Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam following the Champions Trophy 2025.

Days earlier, reports emerged that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to rest senior players for the upcoming New Zealand tour after the side was knocked out of the Champions Trophy 2025 in the group stages.

Reports said that Pakistan cricket was considering replacing white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan for the New Zealand tour.

Additionally, the PCB was reportedly considering resting senior players including Babar Azam and Shaheen Afridi.

Reacting to such reports, former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar took a jibe at the team management of the Pakistan Cricket Board.

“If you want to change captain after every tournament, then you should name a captain for each match beforehand,” he said when asked about the potential change in the Pakistan captaincy.

Read more: “Most powerful captain”: Former cricketer comments on Babar Azam’s captaincy

“Is it a joke that you keep changing captain here and there? Give them time and let them make a strategy,” Sunil Gavaskar said.

The former Indian cricketer urged the Pakistan team management to keep faith in Mohammad Rizwan despite his failure as captain in the Champions Trophy 2025.

Gavaskar also mentioned the struggles of star Pakistan batter Babar Azam who found it hard to get going in the eight-team tournament.

“Virat Kohli also experienced a dip in his form but no one in Indian cricket said that he does not deserve a place in the team. Babar Azam is a class player. I don’t think anyone has scored more centuries for Pakistan than him,” he said.

Sunil Gavaskar urged fans and Pakistan cricket to give some cushion to Babar Azam and let him regain his form without the pressure of scoring big runs in every game.