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Appointing Babar Azam again as the captain of the team was a surprising move by the national cricket team selectors, as in the recent past, the batter’s performance across the formats was not so impressive.
Questions were raised as PCB snubbed Category A from the central contracts
Babar’s career for the national cricket team became uncertain when the Pakistan Cricket Board scrapped Category A from the central contracts for the players. In a recent interview, Aaqib Javed, former cricketer and now a selector, stated that the team currently does not have a single world-class cricketer; that’s why they decided to omit Category A from the central contracts system.
As Babar Azam’s form was questionable, especially across the limited-overs formats, it was believed that PCB might have the intention to push the star batter out of the selection process for the national cricket team.
All of those speculations proved wrong when PCB announced Babar as their captain for the Tests against West Indies and then for the red-ball series against England. Both of the series will be on away conditions. Selectors appointed Babar Azam as the captain of the Test team, replacing Shan Masood. However, Masood remains in the team.
Babar Azam did decently during his first stint as Pakistan captain in Tests
The 31-year-old batter’s previous stint as the Test team captain was actually decent. He captained Pakistan in 10 wins in 20 matches, losing only 6. Babar Azam was appointed as the captain in 2021 and remained in charge till 2023. Under his leadership, Pakistan registered Test wins over opponents like South Africa, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
With the bat, he did well at the same time. As the captain, the right-hander scored 1727 runs in 35 innings, averaging 50.79, while his overall average in his Test career is 38.78. As the captain of Pakistan in the longest format of the game, he recorded eleven 50s and four centuries as well.
Babar Azam discusses his plans to drag the team on the right track
After retaining his position in the Test team as the skipper, Babar stated that he has learned a lot during his previous stint as the captain. Over the years, he has gained more experience, maturity, and clarity as a player. This time, he is more confident than before to do well with proper game plans in mind.
“I have learned a lot from my previous experience as captain, as well as from my time as a player. With time, you gain maturity and clarity. I am confident that this time, with good planning and a positive mindset, I will lead the team well,” the skipper said in a recent interview.
“My main focus as captain will be on discipline, fitness, and performance. These things will matter a lot to me. I will not compromise on these things,” he added.
It is worth noting that the appointment of Babar as the captain was sealed after a stellar Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2026, where he took Peshawar Zalmi to glory as the champion of the league.
