Karachi: Pakistan is preparing to replace Shan Masood with Babar Azam as Test captain after the Bangladesh series, following the team’s humiliating 104-run defeat in the opening Test in Dhaka Tuesday.
There has been a strong backlash in Pakistan over the team’s performance and the captaincy of Masood, who also endured a disappointing outing with the bat, failing in both innings.
According to a source close to the team, a campaign has begun to reinstate Babar as Test captain for the remaining matches of the World Test Championship cycle, with Pakistan still scheduled to play seven more Tests this year.
Masood’s tenure as Test captain since December 2023 has seen Pakistan lose 11 of their 15 matches, while Babar missed the opening Test against Bangladesh due to a knee injury and is likely to return for the second match from May 18.
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“Some influential figures in the Pakistan Cricket Board also want Babar back as captain and believe this is the right time to give him another run at captaincy,” the source said.
He said that even within the team, there was support for Babar to be brought back as Test captain.
All three captains of the Pakistan team across formats are currently part of the squad touring Bangladesh, including ODI skipper Shaheen Shah Afridi and T20I captain Salman Ali Agha.
“If Babar plays the second Test and regains his batting form, he is a strong contender to come back as captain. Initial exchanges with some board officials indicate he is also not averse to becoming captain again,” the source said.
He said the idea is to bring back Babar as Test captain and then prepare him to take over as ODI captain as well before next year’s World Cup.
Babar was captain of all three formats between 2019 and 2023 before he was forced to step down after the 2023 World Cup in India.
He was brought back as T20 captain for the 2024 World Cup but stepped down again after a poor tournament.
The source said Shan Masood was himself deeply disappointed after the first Test defeat and is now seriously considering taking up a permanent role with the Pakistan Cricket Board.
He was offered the post of Director of International Cricket and Player Affairs last year by PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, but had opted to complete the ongoing World Test Championship cycle.
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