Babar Azam has faced a significant setback as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chose not to appoint him as a captain for the upcoming Champions One Day Cup Pakistan and now the reports suggest that the board has been scrutinizing his leadership, and his position as Pakistan’s white-ball captain is now in jeopardy. This development points to a potential change in leadership, with speculations indicating that Babar may soon be replaced as the skipper for Pakistan’s white-ball teams.
Mohammad Rizwan Likely To Be The Next Captain
According to insiders, the PCB is planning to appoint a new captain ahead of Pakistan’s upcoming tour of Australia, which will feature three T20 Internationals and three One Day Internationals. Mohammad Rizwan, currently a key player for Pakistan, is reportedly the frontrunner to succeed Babar as the white-ball captain. Some even suggest that Rizwan might be poised to lead Pakistan across all three formats in the near future. Gary Kirsten, Pakistan’s white-ball head coach, is said to have held discussions with PCB officials as early as July, with Rizwan being considered for this leadership role.
Babar’s recent form has been underwhelming, particularly in Test cricket. In the Test series against Bangladesh, he struggled with the bat, scoring a duck and only managing 22 runs in the first Test. His performance did not improve in the second Test, where he registered just 31 and 11 runs in both innings. This dip in form has contributed to the board’s growing concerns about his effectiveness as captain.
For the Champions One Day Cup, the PCB has named Saud Shakeel, Pakistan’s Test vice-captain, as one of the skippers. Other players who will lead teams in the tournament include Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Haris, and Rizwan.
Following the Test series loss to Bangladesh, reports have surfaced about divisions within the Pakistan dressing room. However, former PCB chief Zaka Ashraf recently downplayed these rumors, stating, “There were no differences between Babar Azam and Shaheen, even after I appointed Shaheen as the T20 captain.” He further explained that after Babar stepped down as captain, team unity improved, and Babar agreed to continue as a player.
Ashraf also defended Muhammad Hafeez, now the team director, calling him “a very honest man,” and dismissed any claims of internal groupings within the squad. He added that Shan Masood had been appointed as the new captain, emphasizing the positive direction in which the team is heading.
