India, Aug. 26 -- It has been a whirlwind last few weeks for Pakistan cricket. First came a 202-run defeat in Tarouba, deciding a 2-1 ODI series win for West Indies, their first over Pakistan in 34 years. Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan then didn't find a place in the Pakistan squad for the T20 Asia Cup. Two days later, they were demoted from the premier category of the central contracts. Non-performance was deemed the main reason, and there was no sugarcoating it in the press briefings that followed.

The numbers are damning as well. In the Tarouba ODI where Pakistan were shot out for 91, Azam and Rizwan made 9 and 0. Through 2024, Azam's T20I strike rate was 133.21 and Rizwan's 117.30. Yet, rarely could anyone else dare open the batting....