After Pakistan's frustrating exit from the Champions Trophy, a lot of criticism poured on the Pakistan Cricket Board, and now former Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal criticized the board for not backing the players enough. Drawing in examples of Virat Kohli, he mentioned about Babar Azam, Pakistan's "only star," who did not receive enough support from the selectors during his lean patch. Ajmal, while speaking to Sportstar, referred to how India rooted for Virat Kohli during his lean patch. He tried to normalize the fall too, adding that it is the selector's responsibility to root for the players. In the interview he said, "Look at the way India backed Virat Kohli. His bad patch continued for a long time, but no one forced him to quit, and not many wanted him to leave. Meanwhile, Babar, who is undoubtedly one of the biggest stars of Pakistan cricket, is going through a lull, and everyone is busy pulling him down. Aapke paas ek hi toh star hai (You have only one star). If you degrade him too, then how will your cricket survive? These are the big issues." Read also: Harry Brook Banned from IPL for Two Years After Pulling Out Again Not only that, Ajmal mentioned that cricket greats like Sachin Tendulkar too had rough days, but that did not make the board tough to him. Ajmal added, "Our former cricketers should keep their mouths shut. As a cricketer, one must understand that bad patches are part of a player's career. You can't play cricket the same way all your life. Even Sachin Tendulkar couldn't score 100 runs in every match-he has been dismissed for a duck as well. He is a world-class player, but he too experienced lean phases. So, you have to show some patience. Cricketers give everything to the sport, and when the chips are down, they need that support. When he's World No.1, he does not need backing-it's during tough times that he needs it the most." Babar Azam Dropped After Struggles Babar Azam has struggled since the 2023 ODI World Cup, scoring just 320 runs in nine matches. His poor form continued in the 2024 T20 World Cup, where Pakistan exited in the group stage. After stepping down as captain post-ODI World Cup, he was reinstated but managed only 122 runs in four games. His struggles persisted in the Champions Trophy, with just 87 runs in two matches as Pakistan crashed out early. Following this, Babar and Mohammad Rizwan were dropped from the T20I squad for the New Zealand tour but retained for the ODIs starting March 16.