India, Feb. 14 -- Pakistan's bold experiment of pushing Babar Azam to the opening slot in ODIs has come under scrutiny, with former cricketers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Hafeez openly criticizing the move. The decision, enforced due to the injury of young opener Saim Ayub, has placed Babar in an unfamiliar role, and his struggles at the top have been evident.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled its squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy and simultaneously hinted at a potential long-term opening partnership between Babar and Fakhar Zaman. This new combination has already been put to the test in the ongoing Tri-Nation series. However, Babar's lack of fluency as an opener has raised concerns, with the star batter managing just 62 runs in...