![Pakistan likely to appoint a new Test captain [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1783097528236_BabarAzamPakistan.jpg?type=hq)
Pakistan likely to appoint a new Test captain [Source: AFP]
In a significant development, Babar Azam is all set to be reappointed as Pakistan’s Test captain. He will reportedly replace Shan Masood and begin his new stint as the team’s red-ball skipper.
Pakistan’s standards in Test cricket had been falling in the last couple of years as they lost two series to Bangladesh and are nowhere close to the top 2 spots in the WTC standings.
Hence, after getting whitewashed by Bangladesh recently, the PCB had hinted that a captaincy change would be imminent.
Babar Azam to replace Shan Masood as Test captain
According to Pakistani journalist Aurangzeb Younis, star cricketer Babar Azam is likely to be reinstated as Pakistan’s Test captain. He will reportedly begin his new journey as skipper from the 2-Test series against the West Indies scheduled for later this month.
Interestingly, Babar was previously named Test captain in 2021. He remained Pakistan’s all-format captain from 2019 to 2023 before eventually resigning after an early exit from the 2023 ODI World Cup held in India.
Again in March 2024, PCB gave white-ball captaincy back to Babar Azam, but in late 2024, he stepped down again, ending his second stint as skipper.
Since then, Shan Masood has been handling the leadership duties in Test cricket. However, his record had been poor, both as captain and as a specialist batter. In 16 Tests under his captaincy, Pakistan lost 12 and won 4.
They won just one series and finished at the bottom of the 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship standings. Naturally, the pressure caught up to Shan Masood.
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Mohsin Naqvi rejected Shan Masood
Meanwhile, earlier Shan Masood had reportedly urged the Mohsin Naqvi-led PCB to let him stay as Pakistan’s Test captain for the sake of stability and consistency.
However, the board apparently rejected Masood’s idea and had made up its mind to move on from him. It was also noted that Salman Ali Agha, who already captains Pakistan in white-ball cricket, was considered to replace Masood.
But he reportedly rejected the offer, and eventually, PCB had to turn to Babar. While Pakistan are yet to announce this transition officially, fans have already approached the decision.
Many believe Shan Masood’s time was up and that Babar Azam deserved another chance at captaincy for the sake of his old record.
Babar Azam’s captaincy record
Having said that, Babar captained Pakistan from 2019 to 2024. He played 148 games across all formats and won 84 while losing 50 contests. His win percentage as skipper is 56.75.
Azam is Pakistan's second-most successful captain by international wins (84), behind only Imran Khan (89 wins). Also, in the Test format, Babar led Pakistan in 20 Tests, out of which the team won 10 and lost 6.
Naturally, out of all the options available, Babar Azam turned out to be Pakistan’s best pick. While his form as a batter had been inconsistent, as he was briefly dropped from the Test team, the PCB will hope and pray that captaincy will bring in some positive change.
Pakistan will play their first Test against the West Indies on July 25, and an announcement on the capacity transition is expected soon.
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