Babar Azam has been reinstated as Pakistan's Test captain after Shan Masood was dismissed from the role on Sunday. The decision came after Pakistan suffered 12 defeats in 16 matches under Masood's leadership, a tenure that began when he replaced Babar in late 2023.
Selector Confirms Unanimous Decision
Selector Aaqib Javed told reporters in Lahore, "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 emphasized that the selection committee unanimously recommended Babar as captain, with no other candidates considered.
Masood's Tenure Marked by Heavy Losses
Pakistan's Test results declined sharply under Masood. His first series ended in a 3-0 loss to Australia, followed by a historic 2-0 home defeat to Bangladesh. The only series win under his captaincy was a 2-1 home victory against England, but Pakistan still finished at the bottom of the World Test Championship points table. Additional losses included series against South Africa and the West Indies.
Javed pointed out specific captaincy shortcomings: "The captain has a responsibility of finishing the games. Some things are the responsibility of the team, some are the responsibility of the selectors, and some are the responsibility of the captain. The captain's responsibility also includes maintaining the team's over rate, taking DRS decisions and making the right call at the toss."
Masood's Batting Performance
Despite the team's struggles, Masood performed well individually, scoring two centuries and seven half-centuries during his captaincy, including back-to-back fifties in Melbourne against Australia.
Babar's Previous Captaincy Record
Babar previously led Pakistan in 20 Tests, achieving 10 wins. His tenure began with a 2-0 home series victory over South Africa, and he also oversaw clean sweeps against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka away. As captain, Babar averaged over 50 runs per innings in Test cricket. His only major setback was a 3-0 home loss to England.
Upcoming Series and Squad
Babar's second stint as skipper begins with a two-Test series in the West Indies later this month. Masood has been included in the 16-player squad. Following the West Indies series, Pakistan will play three Tests in England, with Saud Shakeel added as a 17th player subject to fitness.
Uncapped players in the squad include left-arm spinner Ali Usman, right-handed batter Awais Zafar, right-arm fast bowler Ubaid Shah, and wicketkeeper-batter Ghazi Ghori.
Full Squad
Babar Azam (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imamul Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan, Awais Zafar, Ghazi Ghori, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood, Ubaid Shah.
