Shan Masood to be replaced as Test captain by Babar Azam. Credits - AFP
Pakistan were bundled out for an embarrassing 163 runs in the fourth innings of the first Test against Bangladesh, losing poorly at Mirpur earlier this week. The Men in Green have not been faring well, and Captain Shan Masood is getting all the heat for it.
The touring Pakistan side opted not to play Babar Azam in the first of the two Test matches due to an alleged injury. However, the former Pakistan Test captain was seen grinding it hard in the the nets on multiple occasions during the Mirpur Test.
Although Babar Azam’s replacement, the debutant Abdullah Fazal, scored twin fifties, Pakistan lacked experience in the batting, especially in the fourth innings, while asked to chase 268 to win.
Babar Azam to return for 2nd Test?
As Pakistan are left in a do-or-die position, they will have to bring in the experienced Babar Azam for the second Test match at Sylhet, starting from May 16. However, as the number 3 batter, Abdullah Fazal, batted exceptionally, the debutant opener, Azan Awais, also did remarkably well, scoring a ton.
To bring back Babar, Pakistan will have to drop either Imam-ul-Haq, who scored 45 runs in the first innings, or drop the knife on the poorly out-of-touch Shan Masood. Meanwhile, Saud Shakeel can also get dropped, but the compact batter has been a trusted performer in recent times.
Also Read: ICC Rewards Bangladesh Players After Thrashing Pakistan In Mirpur Test
Babar Azam to be reinstated as Test captain
Not only has Babar Azam become a must in Pakistan's Playing XI, but there have also been talks of giving him back the Test captaincy. If reports are to believed, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are disappointed with Shan Masood's captaincy.
"Some influential figures in the Pakistan Cricket Board also want Babar back as captain and believe this is the right time to give him another run at captaincy," a report from PTI stated.
However, Babar's revival as captain also depends on how the Pakistan modern-day maestro performs in the upcoming Test match, meaning he could be reinstated as captain from the England tour onwards.
“If Babar plays the second Test and regains his batting form, he is a strong contender to come back as captain. Initial exchanges with some board officials indicate he is also not averse to becoming captain again," it added.
Babar Azam's Test slump since 2022
Babar Azam, who is regarded as the best Pakistani in recent times, has been ridiculously out of form of late. The prolific right-hander has been going through a major slump after notching 1,184 Test runs in 2022. Moreover, Babar hasn't registered a single century in the said period and has hit only a solitary half-century since 2024.
Having said that, the 31-year-old performed well in the PSL 2026, where he scored 558 runs and led Peshawar Zalmi to its second title.
Neverthless, Pakistan are currently seventh on the WTC Points Table, with 33.33 percentage points. They will look to make truckloads of changes in the second Test against Bangladesh at Sylhet.
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