Pakistan's captaincy puzzle: Babar Azam returns, but deeper issues remain

Shan Masood's removal was driven by poor results, but Pakistan's latest leadership reset shows a deeper problem, i.e., frequent changes at the top without sustained structural reform

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) once again pressed the reset button on Sunday, removing Shan Masood as Test captain and reinstating Babar Azam as leader of the red-ball side ahead of crucial tours of the West Indies and England.

 

From a purely results-based perspective, the move is understandable. Pakistan won just four of the 16 Tests under Masood, while disappointing series defeats against Australia, South Africa and Bangladesh left the selectors searching for immediate answers. Reappointing Babar, Pakistan's most experienced batter and former Test captain, offers the quickest route to stability before two challenging overseas assignments.

 

Yet the latest captaincy change also revives a familiar question. For much of the past decade, Pakistan have repeatedly responded to poor performances by changing captains, coaches, selectors and team management. The individuals have changed, but the inconsistency has remained.

 

 

If Pakistan are to become a consistently competitive Test side again, the challenge extends far beyond who wears the captain's armband.

Pakistan's revolving door of leadership

Pakistan's leadership structure has been in near-constant flux since 2020. Babar Azam first became ODI captain in May that year before taking over the Test side later in 2020, leading Pakistan across formats. That arrangement lasted until the disappointing 2023 ODI World Cup, after which Babar stepped down.

 

The PCB then adopted a split-captaincy model. Shan Masood was appointed Test captain, Mohammad Rizwan took charge of the ODI side and Shaheen Shah Afridi became T20I captain. However, the structure lasted only briefly. Babar returned to white-ball leadership before Rizwan regained the ODI role, Salman Ali Agha assumed the T20I captaincy and Shaheen later returned as ODI skipper.

 

Now Babar is back as Test captain too. Rather than signalling the start of a new era, the latest reshuffle reinforces the perception that Pakistan have struggled to commit to a leadership model long enough for it to produce sustained results.

 

Pakistan's captaincy change timeline since 2020

Captain	Format	Appointed	End of tenure
Babar Azam	ODI	May 2020	November 2023
Babar Azam	Test	November 2020	November 2023
Shaheen Shah Afridi	T20I	November 2023	March 2024
Shan Masood	Test	November 2023	July 2026
Babar Azam	ODI	March 2024	October 2024
Babar Azam	T20I	March 2024	October 2024
Mohammad Rizwan	ODI	October 2024	Present
Salman Ali Agha	T20I	October 2024	Present
Shaheen Shah Afridi	ODI	July 2025	Present
Babar Azam	Test	July 2026	Present

Shan Masood's underwhelming tenure

Masood's appointment in November 2023 was intended to mark the beginning of a rebuilding phase following Babar's resignation.

 

Instead, the results moved in the opposite direction. Pakistan failed to win a Test series in Australia or South Africa before suffering another damaging series defeat against Bangladesh.

 

While overseas tours to Australia and South Africa have historically tested even the strongest visiting sides, the Bangladesh loss proved particularly costly given Pakistan's recent struggles against the same opposition.

 

Results alone never tell the full story. Masood inherited a side searching for consistency, with injuries, changing combinations and fluctuating form complicating the rebuilding process. Nevertheless, four wins in 16 Tests became a record the PCB found increasingly difficult to defend.

 

Shan Masood's record as Pakistan Test captain

Span	Matches	Won	Lost	Drawn	Win %
Nov 2023 – Jul 2026	16	4	10	2	25.0%

Why the PCB turned back to Babar Azam

Once the PCB decided to replace Masood, its options were relatively limited. Pakistan needed a captain capable of taking charge immediately without another lengthy transition, and Babar remained the most experienced candidate available.

 

Between November 2020 and November 2023, he captained Pakistan in 20 Tests, winning 10, losing six and drawing four. During that period, Pakistan secured home series victories over South Africa and Bangladesh, won away in Sri Lanka and remained competitive in the World Test Championship.

 

Although Babar's own Test batting has dipped in recent seasons, his leadership experience remains valuable. He commands respect within the dressing room, understands the demands of leading Pakistan and has already worked with many of the players expected to form the team's core over the coming years.

 

His return, however, also underlines Pakistan's limited long-term leadership options. Less than three years after moving away from Babar in search of a fresh direction, the PCB has once again turned to him to steady the side.

 

Babar Azam's first stint as Pakistan Test captain

Span	Matches	Won	Lost	Drawn	Win %
Nov 2020 – Nov 2023	20	10	6	4	50.0%

The challenge extends beyond the captain

Changing the captain may offer a short-term lift, but Pakistan's recurring problems extend well beyond leadership.

 

The batting unit has struggled for consistency, particularly in overseas conditions where collapses against quality pace attacks have become increasingly common. The bowling attack, traditionally Pakistan's greatest strength, is entering a period of transition as younger fast bowlers gradually replace an experienced core, while the spin department is yet to find settled combinations.

 

Selection has been equally unsettled. Players have frequently moved in and out of the side, combinations have changed from series to series and several youngsters have been expected to deliver immediate results without being given an extended run.

 

The latest squad reflects another phase of that rebuilding process. Left-arm spinner Ali Usman, batter Muhammad Awais Zafar, fast bowler Ubaid Shah and wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Ghazi Ghori have all earned maiden call-ups for the West Indies tour, while Saud Shakeel has been included for the England series, subject to fitness. Introducing fresh talent is essential, but successful transitions depend on consistent selection, clearly defined roles and patience.

 

Instability has also extended beyond the playing XI. Pakistan have witnessed frequent changes in coaches, selectors and administrators, often resulting in shifting priorities before previous plans had time to take shape. Every new captain has therefore inherited not only a changing squad but also a changing management structure, making long-term planning significantly more difficult.  

Learning from the world's leading Test teams

The leading Test nations have shown that sustained success is rarely built through constant leadership changes.

 

Australia have backed Pat Cummins despite difficult overseas assignments, while England remained committed to Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum through both encouraging and challenging periods until Stokes announced his international retirement earlier last month.

 

In each case, the captain operated within a relatively stable system supported by consistent selection policies and a long-term vision.

 

Pakistan's experience has often been the opposite. Leadership changes have frequently coincided with broader administrative reshuffles, forcing successive captains to adapt to new coaches, selectors and expectations. That lack of continuity has made rebuilding considerably more difficult.

Can Babar change Pakistan's direction?

Babar Azam's return gives Pakistan a familiar leader, but it does not automatically solve the problems that have repeatedly held the Test side back. His second stint begins with difficult tours of the West Indies and England, a batting unit searching for consistency and a squad undergoing another phase of transition with several new faces.

 

The bigger test, however, lies beyond match results. Pakistan have regularly responded to disappointing performances by changing captains, coaches and selectors, often abandoning long-term plans before they have had time to take shape. That cycle has prevented successive leaders from building a settled team or a clear identity.

 

If Babar's return is to mark a genuine turning point, the PCB must resist another short-term reset at the first sign of adversity. Success will depend not only on Babar rediscovering his best form but also on whether Pakistan finally commits to continuity in selection, leadership and planning—qualities that have underpinned the world's most successful Test teams.