"Babar shouldn't have taken on the captaincy," says Wasim Akram, voicing sharp criticism.

Even after Pakistan's 3–0 Test series loss during their tour of England, discussions and criticisms regarding the team's performance continue unabated. Debates persist, particularly concerning decisions made regarding the coaching staff and players midway through the series, as well as the role of captain Babar Azam.

Following defeats in the first two Tests, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) altered the coaching staff and sent seven players back home. However, prior to the third Test, Babar Azam stated that he had no prior knowledge of these decisions. Former Pakistan captain and legendary pacer Wasim Akram has sharply criticized this statement by Babar.

While seated next to former teammate Waqar Younis at a charity fundraiser in Manchester, Akram questioned Babar's leadership. He opined that both Babar and Pakistan cricket would have benefited more had he played solely as a batsman rather than taking on the responsibility of captaincy.

After the first two Tests, the PCB removed coaches Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul and sent seven cricketers back home. Subsequently, at the toss for the third Test in Birmingham, Babar remarked that these decisions were news to him as well. Akram found this unacceptable.

Speaking sarcastically, he said, "Babar Azam said he knew nothing. If you knew nothing, then what were you doing here? Had you come to sell chickpeas?"

Akram believes that if a captain does not stand by his players, it is difficult to extract peak performance from them on the field. He stated that, both as a player and an individual, he believes players cannot give their hundred percent if the captain does not support them.

Akram also feels that Babar should have stepped down from the captaincy once the situation became complicated. In his view, Babar ought to have declared after the second Test that he would no longer lead the team and would continue in the series merely as a player.

Babar regained the Test captaincy from Shan Masood on July 5. He had previously led the Pakistan Test team from 2020 to 2023; during that tenure, Pakistan won 10 out of 20 Tests, lost 6, and drew 4. However, Babar's second stint did not get off to a good start at all. After drawing the two-Test series against the West Indies 1–1, Pakistan lost all three matches during their tour of England.

Following defeats by an innings and 103 runs in the first Test at Headingley and by 194 runs in the second Test at Lord's, the PCB made major changes to the Pakistan squad. Alongside a reshuffle of the coaching staff, seven players were sent back home. Yet, the situation did not improve; England won the third Test at Edgbaston by eight wickets, handing Pakistan a 3–0 series whitewash.