Overview

• Former pacer Tanvir Ahmed urged the pair to retire if they feel disrespected, invoking Virat Kohli in a comparison CricketAddictor noted was inaccurate.
• Ex-captain Mohammad Hafeez said the duo are not Pakistan’s key players at present and argued they must re-earn that status through performances.
• Javed Miandad defended Babar Azam as a great player who should be backed through lean spells and criticized the selection committee’s move.
• White-ball head coach Mike Hesson said Babar has been asked to improve his T20 strike rate and take on spin more, pointing to the BBL as a platform to demonstrate progress.
• Coverage linked the omissions to low T20 strike rates, citing Babar’s career 129.22 and Rizwan’s 125.37 as context.