In a significant twist in the leadership saga of Pakistan cricket, Babar Azam has been reappointed as the national Test captain. The Pakistan Men’s National Selection Committee made this announcement during a press conference at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Sunday, stating that Babar will steer the team for the upcoming challenging tours to the West Indies and England.
Babar steps back in after Shan Masood’s disappointing tenure, which has seen the team struggling with poor results. Masood, who took charge during the 2023-2024 season, managed only four wins while facing twelve defeats in his sixteen matches as captain.
The committee’s decision came after a humiliating 0-2 series loss to Bangladesh two months ago, which left Pakistan at the bottom of the World Test Championship standings, having claimed only one victory in four matches. Although Masood led the team to a hard-fought 2-1 win against England at home in 2024, he lost four of the seven series he managed. Interestingly, Masood was a reliable batsman during his captaincy, scoring 1,056 runs at an average of 34.06, but his personal contributions couldn’t save his leadership.
IS BABAR THE RIGHT CHOICE?
Bringing Babar back as captain is seen as a bold move, especially given his recent struggles in the longer format of the game. This marks Babar’s second stint as the Test captain. He previously led the team from 2021 to 2023, securing ten wins out of twenty games. His first term ended after a disappointing performance at the 2023 One Day International World Cup, and a quick return as T20 captain also concluded poorly before the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Despite the frequent changes in leadership, Babar’s performance has been less than stellar over the past three years, averaging only 27.26 under Masood’s captaincy and crossing fifty runs just five times. More worryingly for a player of his caliber, Babar hasn’t scored a Test century since 2022. The selectors seem to hope that making him captain again will revive his form, rather than add more pressure.
PAKISTAN SQUAD FOR WEST INDIES TOUR
Babar Azam (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam ul Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood, and Ubaid Shah.
PAKISTAN SQUAD FOR ENGLAND TOUR
Babar Azam (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam ul Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel (subject to fitness), Shan Masood, and Ubaid Shah.
One of Babar’s key challenges will be to stabilize a shaken team during two diverse overseas tours. The selection committee has announced a 16-member squad for the two-match Test series against the West Indies, set to take place from July 25 to August 6. The team will then head straight to the UK for a much-anticipated three-match Test series against England from August 19 to September 13, for which a 17-member squad has been named.
In a move to refresh the team, the selectors have included four uncapped players in both squads. Left-arm spinner Ali Usman, right-handed batsman Muhammad Awais Zafar, right-arm fast bowler Ubaid Shah, and wicket-keeper batsman Muhammad Ghazi Ghori are all set for their first appearance in the senior Test team.
Schedule for West Indies series:
July 25-29 – First Test, Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba
August 2-6 – Second Test, Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain
Schedule for England series:
August 19-23 – First Test, Leeds
August 27-31 – Second Test, Lord’s
September 9-13 – Third Test, Birmingham
– Ends
