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KEY TAKEAWAYS: - Babar Azam admitted he learned of Pakistan's seven-player mid-tour overhaul only after the official PCB announcement, bypassing the captain completely. - Shoaib Akhtar tore into Babar's personality, saying strong leadership decisions cannot be expected from the current captain or management. - Pakistan were bowled out for 133 in the first innings at Edgbaston, with their top five all failing to reach double figures. Shoaib Akhtar destroys Babar Azam's timid captaincy in fiery rant amid Edgbaston debacle Babar Azam admitted on the eve of the third Test at Edgbaston that he was blindsided about PCB's decision to make seven personnel changes before the final match. This cast a long shadow over the internal hierarchy and functioning of the Pakistan team management and Shoaib Akhtar wasn't in the mood to be diplomatic about what it reveals. The day after Pakistan's defeat at Lord's, the PCB moved swiftly by removing seven players from the touring squad, along with head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul. Five of the seven replacements called up have never played Test cricket. The scale of the change was extraordinary for a mid-series reshuffle, and what made it even more startling was where the captain stood in all of this. MORE: Akram speaks of deeper issues as Pakistan stares at series whitewash in England Babar said he wasn't consulted, wasn't informed in advance, and wasn't involved in the decision in any way. He found out when the statement dropped, just like everyone else. "It was news to me," Babar said. "I found out after. The PCB decided it, so they'll be able to explain better. "The PCB's decision must have been taken after some thought process," he added. "It's better if you ask them why." He attempted to soften the edges of that admission, describing the overhaul as a missed opportunity for younger players rather than dwelling on how it happened. But the word he used about his own reaction said plenty. PCB's decision has backfired spectacularly as Pakistan were bowled out for 133 in their first innings on what was the most batting-friendly pitch they'd encountered all series. They were in all kinds of trouble inside 10 overs, reduced to 26 for four before Shan Masood's dismissal made it five down before most of the crowd had settled in. Babar himself was gone for seven, and in the second innings they are 52/2, trailing by a massive 268 runs. Shoaib Akhtar cuts through the diplomacy and offers scathing verdict on Babar Azam's captaincy Shoaib Akhtar did not hold back when Tanveer Ahmed asked how differently he would react if he were the Pakistan captain and the PCB went on to make seven changes without keeping him in the loop. "Look, Tanveer, you are asking two different people two different questions. Had it been me, everyone knows what would have happened. That is a very simple thing," he said. "If he isn't able to do it, it's because that is his own personality. His own personality is visible in his game; it's visible in his decisions, it's visible in everything. So, you know, you cannot ask too much from this team, and including the captain, and and the rest of the pack. You can't ask too much. What can you expect from them?" Shoaib also blamed PCB for their recklessness and added: "So, as of now, the failure belongs to the system. And the bet that we had placed, the investment we had made, that investment is in front of you. But, you know, you cannot expect a strong decision, or a very firm decision, from people like them." MORE: Former Pakistan WK Rashid Latif makes 'Indian agent' remark against head coach Mike Hesson Akhtar's bluntness cuts to the heart of Pakistan cricket's real problem Akhtar's comments are uncomfortable to hear if you're a Pakistan cricket supporter, but that doesn't make them wrong. The problem he's identifying isn't really about Babar's batting, which still has quality on its best days. It's about the captaincy model and what's being demanded of someone who clearly isn't built for confrontation. Good captains don't just set fields, but they demand accountability from the board, fight for their players' interests in selection discussions, and shape the environment around them. A captain who finds out about his own squad changes from a press release isn't being given the authority to do any of those things, but the question is whether he even pushed back when the structure was being set. MORE: Pakistan cricket team mistaken for asylum seekers by masked protesters in Portsmouth Pakistan cricket's failure on this tour has layers: a PCB that bypassed its own captain, a batting lineup that collapses against seam swing on Test pitches, and a leadership culture that apparently functions with the captain as a public-facing spokesperson rather than a genuine decision-maker. Akhtar called all of it out in the bluntest possible terms, and while his style is always confrontational, the substance of what he said points to real structural failures that a personality change at the top alone won't fix. For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary, and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages.