'This is the right time': Pakistan consider bringing back Babar Azam as Test captain after Bangladesh series

Pakistan are preparing to replace Shan Masood with Babar Azam as Test captain after the ongoing Bangladesh series, news agency PTI reported on Wednesday, following Pakistan’s 104-run defeat in the opening Test in Dhaka on Tuesday.

There has been criticism in Pakistan over the team’s performance and Masood’s captaincy after the defeat. Masood also struggled with the bat and failed in both innings.

Discussions have started over bringing Babar back as Test captain for the remaining matches of the current World Test Championship cycle, PTI reported while quoting a source. Pakistan still have seven Tests left this year.

Masood has led Pakistan in Tests since December 2023. Under him, Pakistan have lost 11 of their 15 matches.

Babar missed the first Test against Bangladesh because of a knee injury and is expected to return for the second Test starting May 18.

"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.

The PTI report added that there is also support within the team for Babar to return as Test captain.

All three Pakistan captains across formats are currently part of the Bangladesh tour squad, including ODI captain 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," a source was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI.

The source also said that the plan is to first bring Babar back as Test captain and later prepare him to take over as ODI captain before next year’s World Cup.

Babar was captain across all three formats between 2019 and 2023 before stepping down after the 2023 World Cup in India.

He later returned as T20 captain for the 2024 T20 World Cup but stepped down again after Pakistan’s poor campaign.

The source said Masood himself was disappointed after the defeat in Dhaka and is now seriously considering taking up a permanent role with the Pakistan Cricket Board.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi had offered Masood the role of Director of International Cricket and Player Affairs last year, but he had decided to continue until the end of the current World Test Championship cycle.