Pakistan cricket has gone back to a trusted and its most famous name. Less than three years after giving Shan Masood the Test captaincy, the PCB has reappointed Babar Azam to lead in the longest format. The change comes after a tough spell under Masood, who managed only 4 wins from 16 Tests.
Though the official release centred on Babar’s comeback, chief selector Aaqib Javed pointed to Pakistan’s struggles under Masood as the main reason for the leadership switch.
Aaqib Javed points to results as Pakistan make captaincy switch
Explaining the move, Javed said the selectors were looking for a captain who could deliver better outcomes on the field. “We wanted to look for a captain who could lead the team in a much better way. Shan’s individual performance was good but as captain we weren’t getting the desired results,” Javed said.
The chief selector also stressed that the decision was unanimous within the selection committee.
Pakistan’s record under Masood makes for grim reading. His captaincy began with a 3-0 whitewash in Australia before Pakistan suffered their first-ever home Test series defeat to Bangladesh. Although he guided the team to a memorable 2-1 comeback series win against England at home, losses against South Africa, West Indies and Bangladesh meant Pakistan are currently at the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
Javed also suggested that a captain must share responsibility for team performances, pointing to areas such as DRS calls, over-rate management and toss decisions.
Shan Masood’s numbers with bat couldn’t save his captaincy
Despite Pakistan’s struggles, Masood wasn’t entirely at fault with the bat. During his 31-month stint as captain, he scored two centuries and seven half-centuries, including consecutive fifties at Melbourne against Australia. However, the results never improved consistently enough to secure his position.
| Captain | Span | Matches | Won | Lost | Draw | W/L Ratio | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babar Azam | 2021-2023 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 1.66 | 50.00 |
| Shan Masood | 2023-2026 | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 0.33 | 25.00 |
Babar’s first stint as Test captain was more successful. He led Pakistan to 10 wins in 20 Tests, including series victories over South Africa, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. He also averaged over 50 with the bat while captaining the side.
| Rank | Player | Runs | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mohammad Rizwan | 1157 | 41.32 |
| 2 | Shan Masood | 1056 | 34.06 |
| 3 | Salman Agha | 995 | 35.53 |
| 4 | Saud Shakeel | 927 | 29.90 |
| 5 | Babar Azam | 709 | 27.26 |
Babar’s second innings begins against West Indies
Babar’s return to the role will begin with a two-Test series against the West Indies starting on July 25 in Tarouba. Pakistan will then travel to England for a three-Test series later in the summer.
Interestingly, Masood has retained his place in Pakistan’s squad despite losing the captaincy. The squad also includes four uncapped players in Ali Usman, Awais Zafar, Ubaid Shah and Ghazi Ghori as Pakistan look to refresh their Test setup.
Pakistan squad for West Indies Tests
Babar Azam (capt), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam ul Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Awais Zafar, Mohammad Ghazi Ghouri, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood, Ubaid Shah
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