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KEY TAKEAWAYS: - Babar Azam admitted Pakistan's sweeping changes to the Test squad mid-series came as a surprise to him. - The Pakistan captain said the PCB's decision was "news to me" and that he only found out after the official announcement. - Seven players, head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were removed after the Lord's defeat. - Despite the upheaval, Babar urged the new-look Pakistan side to focus on the third Test against England at Edgbaston. Babar Azam kept in the dark on PCB's decision to drop players, Test coach mid-series Pakistan captain Babar Azam has revealed that he was not consulted over the team's sweeping Test squad changes following their heavy defeat to England at Lord's, admitting that the decision was also news to him. The visiting skipper was speaking on the eve of the third Test at Edgbaston, where he faced questions about a dramatic overhaul that saw seven players removed from the squad, while head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also released. Babar said he only learned about the changes after the Pakistan Cricket Board's official announcement. It raises questions about how involved the captain is in major selection decisions. Pakistan captain Babar Azam says he wasn't involved in the wholesale changes made ahead of the final Test against England. pic.twitter.com/DvNsq8n8v1 — Test Match Special (@bbctms) September 8, 2026 "It was news to me. I found out after. The PCB decided it, so they'll be able to explain better," he said. The decision came after Pakistan's 194-run defeat at Lord's, also their second loss of the tour as they conceded the third-match series after going 0-2. "The PCB's decision must have been taken after some thought process. It's better if you ask them why," Babar also added. The scale of the changes makes Babar's admission that he was kept in the dark particularly notable, given that he is the captain of the Test side that will take the field in Birmingham. Pakistan set for a very different playing XI in third Test vs England at Edgbaston Seven players were removed after the second Test defeat at Lord's, namely: Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Imam-ul-Haq, Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Aamir Jamal, and Muhammad Awais Zafar. They were replaced by Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal, Razaullah Khan, Mohammad Imran, Arafat Minhas, Saad Baig and Mohammad Imran Junior. Babar will be listing a huge list of changes from the previous Test at the toss, given the overhaul of the touring squad. That said, here's the possible playing XI for the third Test match: - Azan Awais - Saim Ayub - Shan Masood - Abdullah Shafique - Babar Azam (c) - Saud Shakeel - Ghazi Ghouri (wk) - Sajjid Khan - Razaullah - Ubaid Shah - Mohammad Abbas MORE: Exclusive: Daryl Mitchell backs ETPL to produce cricket's next superstars What does this mean for Babar Azam's captaincy? Babar's comments at the press conference did not signal that he was consulted in any way regarding the matter. The decision appears to have been made entirely by the PCB and chairman Mohsin Naqvi. So what role and influence does a Pakistan captain really have in making major calls? Babar must now lead a team that has been substantially broken up around him without apparently being part of the decision-making process. We will have to wait and see if the changes amount to anything substantial and how the players, including Babar, show up on the field. He will be carrying the greatest responsibility in Birmingham after missing the first Test at Headingley with a hand injury before scoring just 8 and 6 at Lord's. For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages.