Pakistan cricket has moved closer to another major captaincy reset, with Babar Azam emerging as the frontrunner to return as Test captain after the ongoing Bangladesh series.
According to PTI, a source close to the team said a campaign has begun to reinstate Babar as captain for the remaining matches of the World Test Championship cycle, with Pakistan still scheduled to play seven more Tests this year.
The development comes after Pakistan’s 104-run defeat to Bangladesh in the opening Test in Dhaka on Tuesday, a result that has intensified scrutiny on Shan Masood’s leadership. Pakistan were chasing 268 in the fourth innings but were bowled out for 163, with Nahid Rana’s five-wicket haul sealing a historic win for Bangladesh.
The defeat has sparked strong backlash in Pakistan, with Masood’s captaincy and his own batting form both coming under criticism. Masood failed in both innings of the Dhaka Test, adding to the pressure on a captaincy tenure that has already produced a damaging sequence of results.
Babar Azam back in captaincy frame
“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 told PTI.
The source also said the idea is to bring Babar back as Test captain, then prepare him to take over the ODI captaincy before next year’s World Cup.
Babar Azam had led Pakistan across formats between 2019 and 2023 before stepping down after the team’s poor campaign in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. Shan Masood was then appointed Test captain as Pakistan sought to enter a new leadership phase.
That phase has now reached a crisis point. Pakistan have lost 11 of their 15 Tests under Shan Masood, a record that has left his position increasingly vulnerable. The Bangladesh defeat deepened the damage due to the opponent, the venue, and the manner of the collapse. Bangladesh beat Pakistan 2-0 in Rawalpindi in 2024, and the latest result extended their recent Test dominance over a side that had historically controlled the contest.
Pakistan’s red-ball decline has also arrived during an important World Test Championship cycle. With seven Tests still left this year, the board is now facing a direct leadership call. Continuing with Masood would mean backing a captain under severe public and statistical pressure. Returning to Babar would signal a shift towards experience, reputation and dressing-room authority.
Babar’s own captaincy record had also faced criticism before his resignation, especially over Pakistan’s home Test results and tactical decisions. His possible return would therefore carry its own questions. Pakistan, however, appear to be looking at the scale of the present slide rather than the imperfections of the previous regime.
The second Test against Bangladesh could now become decisive on two fronts. Pakistan need a response to avoid another series defeat, while Babar’s performance with the bat may influence how quickly the captaincy debate moves from campaign to decision.
