Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Mohsin Naqvi is reportedly considering another leadership change across all formats. Former captain Babar Azam has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Shan Masood as Pakistan’s Test captain after the team’s disappointing defeat in the ongoing series in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh defeated Pakistan by 104 runs in the first Test in Dhaka on Tuesday. Chasing 268 runs in the fourth innings, Pakistan was all out for 163 runs. Fast bowler Nahid Rana took five wickets to complete an impressive victory for Bangladesh and continued his recent success against Pakistan in red-ball cricket.
Babar Azam returns as Pakistan’s Test captain!
According to a report by news agency PTI, a campaign is underway within the PCB to bring back Babar Azam as Test captain. Many influential figures on the board support his return for the remaining matches of the World Test Championship and believe that his presence can boost the morale of the team.
“Some influential people in the Pakistan Cricket Board also want Babar back as captain and believe that this is the right time to give him another chance at the captaincy,” the source said.
After the defeat in Dhaka, Shan Masood has faced heavy criticism regarding his captaincy and batting form. The current Test captain failed to score big in both the innings, which increased the pressure on his position. Masood became the Test captain of Pakistan in December 2023.
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Babar Azam agreed to return as Pakistan captain after talks with PCB officials
The report further adds that preliminary discussions have already taken place between the board officials and Babar Azam, and the former skipper is open to returning as captain if he finds form with the bat. The board believes that his leadership can help stabilize the team during difficult times.
“If Babar plays the second Test and regains his batting form, he is a strong contender to return as captain. Initial conversations with some board officials indicate that he also has no objection to becoming captain again,” the source said.
Babar Azam could not play in the opening Test against Bangladesh due to a knee injury before the series. He is expected to return in the second Test starting on May 18. Pakistan still has seven Test matches left this year.
Will Babar also be made the ODI captain of Pakistan?
The report also reveals the Pakistan Cricket Board’s long-term leadership plans beyond Test cricket. In particular, the board wants to bring back Babar Azam as Test captain before preparing him to lead the ODI team ahead of next year’s World Cup.
“The idea is to bring Babar back as Test captain, then groom him to take over the ODI captaincy ahead of next year’s World Cup,” the source claimed.
Since Shan Masood became the Test captain, Pakistan has lost 11 out of its 15 matches. Masood is disappointed after the recent defeats and is considering taking up the role of director of international cricket and player affairs offered by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
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