Babar and Rizwan should only play Tests now: Kamran Akmal

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal has come out in support of the decision to drop Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan from Pakistan's T20I setup, stating that the duo is more suited for the longer formats of the game.

Speaking on the ARY Podcast, Akmal responded to the host's question regarding reports that Babar and Rizwan are being permanently dropped from the T20I side. 

"That's absolutely the right decision," Akmal said. "I believe this should happen because these players are more suited for the longer format of the game. In my opinion, they should now be kept on only for Test matches. Maybe after another six months, they should only be considered for Test cricket, both Babar and Rizwan."

He went a step further, suggesting that even One Day Internationals might not be the right format for the two senior players in the near future.  "After another six months, they should be sidelined from ODIs, too, because Pakistan hardly plays Test matches these days. No one is even talking about Test cricket. But if any real players are made, they are made through playing Test cricket," Akmal added.

He emphasized that mastering the red-ball format gives players a solid foundation for all formats. "You can't just play T20 and expect to be great at Test cricket too. If someone plays Test matches, they can handle ODIs and T20s as well," he said.

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan were both left out of the ongoing T20I series against Bangladesh. Earlier, Pakistan's newly appointed head coach, Mike Hesson, made it clear that selections will be based on form and performance, not on experience or past reputation.