Keep Babar Azam away from English media, says Rashid Latif ahead of Pakistan’s England tour

Babar Azam ( source:Gettyimages)

Rashid Latif has advised the Pakistan Cricket Board to restrict Babar Azam‘s interactions with the English media during the upcoming three-Test series against England. The former Pakistan wicketkeeper believes that managing media exposure carefully will help the team focus on cricket during a challenging tour.

Latif drew on his own experience of touring England multiple times during his playing career, having visited the country in 1992, 1996 and 2001. He outlined his concerns about the nature of English media coverage and suggested alternative approaches for the PCB management.

“An England tour is a difficult assignment, and the English media often tries to unnecessarily involve visiting teams in news stories,” Latif said on Geo News’ Score.

Why Latif recommends limiting Babar’s media exposure

Latif believes that Babar, despite his experience as captain, would benefit from reduced media commitments during this tour. The cricketer-turned-expert recommended that the PCB deploy other senior players to handle press interactions instead, like former captain Shan Masood, allowing Babar to concentrate on preparation and strategy.

“Babar Azam is an experienced player, so it would be better for the PCB management to keep him away from the English media and send former captain Shan Masood to speak to them more often. Shan has played in England and has better experience of dealing with the English media,” Latif said.

Alternative media representatives for the tour

Beyond Masood, Latif also suggested that Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Abbas could serve as suitable alternatives for handling media duties during the tour. This approach would allow the team’s leadership to concentrate on preparation and match strategy without the distraction of frequent media engagements.

Pakistan’s three-Test series against England begins with the first Test at Headingley in Leeds from August 19 to 23. The second Test will be held at Lord’s from August 27 to 31, followed by the third Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham from September 9 to 13. This tour marks Pakistan’s first Test series in England since 2020 and forms part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.

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Pakistan recently drew their two-Test series against West Indies 1-1, providing some momentum heading into the England assignment. Babar had returned to Test captaincy after Shan Masood’s stint ended following difficult results, placing additional responsibility on the current captain during this important tour.

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