Salman Agha on Babar Azam's place for IND vs PAK game [Source: @wajidalyi, @wordsbyher_/X.com]The build-up to the India vs Pakistan clash in Colombo has been dominated by big questions. One of them revolves around Babar Azam. Given his current strike rate and his previous performance against India, there have been many questions about whether Pakistan will take a bold decision.Could Babar be dropped for the high-voltage encounter? Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha has now addressed the chatter and made his stance crystal clear. Salman Agha breaks the silence on Babar’s placeDuring the pre-game press conference, Pakistan captain Salman Agha firmly dismissed any talk of dropping his premier batter ahead of the marquee fixture. The captain made it clear that the team management has full faith in Babar Azam and has no intention of reshuffling the batting order at the last minute. “Babar Azam is not a concern for us. He has been scoring runs. And hopefully, he'll score runs and help us tomorrow. We don't want to change the batting position too much,” Salman Ali Agha said.The statement sends a strong message. Pakistan are backing experience over outside noise. In a pressure game like this, stability often matters more than experimentation. Salman Ali Agha's words suggest that Babar Azam will not only play but will continue in his usual role near the top.Why do the questions persist around Babar Azam?Despite the captain’s backing, the doubts are not baseless. Babar’s numbers against India in T20Is make for uncomfortable reading. In five innings against their arch-rivals in T20 World Cups and Asia Cup clashes, Azam has scored 105 runs. That tally is heavily boosted by a brilliant unbeaten 68 in Dubai in 2021.Outside of that knock, his returns have been modest. Low scores in Dubai, Melbourne, and New York have created a narrative that India have found a way to contain him. Their mix of left-arm pace and quality spin has often forced him into cautious starts, building pressure early. Heading into this match, Babar’s overall form has not been good either. He was briefly left out last year amid concerns over his strike rate. Though he has since responded with solid performances, including a fluent knock against the USA earlier in the tournament, critics argue that Babar Azam needs a defining innings in a big game. Salman Ali Agha backs Usman Tariq amid action debateWhile questions swirled around team selection, Salman Agha also addressed the growing noise surrounding Usman Tariq’s bowling action. The spinner’s unusual round-arm release and brief pause before delivery have sparked debate in recent weeks. However, the Pakistan captain made it clear that the team has no concerns. He went a step further by insisting that the hype has been created externally. "He has been cleared by ICC earlier. I don't know why there is talk about his action. He doesn't care about all this talk," Salman Ali Agha added.Agha’s comments now suggest Pakistan’s belief in Tariq as a key weapon, especially on a slow Colombo surface.
