table of contents
Pakistan national cricket team is going to get a new captain for Test cricket and that person could be Babar Azam. Although the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has maintained silence on the major leadership change, reports suggest that serious discussions are taking place over the Test captaincy.
They are looking to rebuild after a disappointing run of form in Test cricket and former captain Babar Azam has reportedly been approached by the PCB. However, the final decision has not been taken yet. Meanwhile, Babar Azam’s contract status will remain a secret as the PCB is hiding the categories of the players.
PCB considering major change in Test captaincy as Babar Azam replaces Shan Masood
Pakistan’s current Test captain Shan Masood is under immense pressure after the team’s poor performance in the longest format of the game. Consecutive defeats, including the recent Test defeat against Bangladesh, have raised big questions over Masood’s captaincy and the direction of the team.
These disappointing results have reportedly forced the PCB to consider a change of leadership ahead of Pakistan’s next Test assignment, which is a two-match Test series against the West Indies. They will play two Tests in West Indies from July 25 and then three Tests against England in August.
Ahead of these important overseas Test matches, the Pakistan Cricket Board is all set to announce a new Test captain. According to the reports of Pakistani journalists, Babar is once again in the race to take over the Test captaincy of the national team. The senior batsman has previously led Pakistan in all three formats and is now considering a return as Test captain.
Babar Azam returns as Test captain
– Babar Azam is likely to be appointed as the new Test captain of Pakistan. (Aurangzeb Younis) pic.twitter.com/Z9EjDaPYuO
– Sherry. (@CallMeSheri1_) July 3, 2026
Babar Azam is yet to give a final answer on the return of captaincy.
However, reports also suggest that Babar has not yet given the green signal to the proposal. It is being said that the former Pakistan captain wants clarity on his role before accepting the responsibility. Babar now wants strong support from the selectors and confidence that if he becomes captain again, he will get enough time to build the team.
At the same time, some reports claim that Babar is thinking of focusing only on his batting instead of taking the additional pressure of captaincy. In such a situation, if Babar rejects the offer of red-ball captaincy, then the board also has other options available.
Pakistan vice-captain Saud Shakeel is one of the leading candidates due to his consistent performances and calm approach. And even all-rounder Salman Ali Aga is in the news for the job as he also has captaincy experience, having led the team in T20Is.
Babar Azam’s test career
Babar made his Test debut in 2016 and quickly became Pakistan’s most reliable batsman. His best performance came in 2022 when he scored 1,184 Test runs, including a memorable 196 against Australia in Karachi. After that, the right-handed batsman’s form dropped badly during 2023 and 2024, when he averaged only 21.36.
Overall, Babar has played 54 Tests for Pakistan, scoring 4648 runs with 10 centuries at an average of 47.50 and a highest score of 196. As Pakistan’s Test captain from 2021 to 2023, he led the team in 20 matches, winning 10, losing 5 and drawing 5, before stepping down from the role in 2023.
