India, March 6 -- In the wake of a shambolic performance in the 2025 Champions Trophy, where Pakistan incurred a group-stage exit after failing to secure a win in any of their three games, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shuffled the decks once more for the impending five-match series in New Zealand. Hence, Babar Azam faced the axe, as he was dropped for the tour, along with captain Mohammad Rizwan.

Babar has long been scrutinised for his poor performance across formats. In the Champions Trophy, he scored just 126 runs in three games, including a sluggish 64 in a losing cause. Babar was harshly criticised by former cricketers, with the legendary Shoaib Akhtar calling him a "fraud."

Amid the criticism, Babar's father, Azam Siddique, Wed...