Why didn’t Babar play Bangladesh series?

The absence of Babar Azam from the One Day International series against Bangladesh triggered a question within Pakistan cricket, with conflicting explanations fuelling queries over why their premier batter did not feature at the Sher-e Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Pakistan selectors insist injury was the primary reason behind Babar’s absence. Yet the explanation has done little to quieten speculation, especially after the former captain’s name surfaced in domestic cricket discussions shortly before the series.

Pakistan selector Aaqib Javed added further intrigue when he revealed that Babar was only diagnosed with an injury after returning from the ICC T20 World Cup.

“Babar is not fit to play,” Javed told the Pakistan press on Saturday, before questioning how the issue was detected only after the global tournament had concluded.

According to the former pacer, the situation has prompted the selectors to seek clarity from the Pakistan Cricket Board regarding the monitoring of players’ fitness during the World Cup.

“After the World Cup, we learned about his injury. If that is the case, then the question is whether his fitness was properly monitored during the tournament,” he said.

The selector also called for an internal inquiry to understand how such a key figure could return from a major international event carrying an undisclosed injury.

Meanwhile, Pakistan captain Shaheen Shah Afridi attempted to clarify the matter, stating that medical examinations conducted after Babar’s return ruled him out of the Bangladesh tour.

“When he came back from Sri Lanka, our doctors examined him. His injury is preventing him from playing this series,” the selector mentioned. “He wanted to play, but the injury is not allowing him to do so.”

“Look, no one is dropped for this series. We just want to give opportunities to our youngsters because they are our future,” Shaheen explained on Tuesday before the first ODI.

Yet the narrative has not been entirely straightforward.

Earlier, reports from the Press Trust of India suggested that Babar had opted out of the National T20 Championship to address technical flaws in his batting ahead of the upcoming Pakistan Super League.

Adding to the confusion, Babar had initially been named in the Lahore Whites squad for the National T20 Championship in Peshawar. That development left many observers wondering whether injury alone kept the Pakistan batter away from the Bangladesh ODIs.

With Pakistan choosing to hand opportunities to younger players, the spotlight remains firmly on Babar’s situation, and why one of the game’s leading batters was missing when the action unfolded in Mirpur.

The 31-year old last featured in an ODI in November last year, against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi where he hammered an unbeaten 102, making his omission from the Bangladesh series all the more surprising.