Pakistan Cricket has handed the Test captaincy back to Babar Azam, marking a major leadership change ahead of two crucial overseas assignments against the West Indies and England. The decision signals a fresh start for Pakistan’s red-ball setup after a turbulent period of captaincy changes and inconsistent performances.
The Pakistan Men’s National Selection Committee announced the squads during a press conference at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday. Pakistan will first play a two-match Test series against the West Indies from July 25 to August 6 before travelling to England for a challenging three-match Test series scheduled between August 19 and September 13.
Babar Azam returns as Pakistan’s Test captain nearly three years after last leading the side in the longest format. His previous Test as skipper came against Sri Lanka in Colombo in July 2023, where Pakistan secured a dominant innings victory. If he captains the first Test against the West Indies later this month, it will mark 1,094 days since his last match as Test captain.
The appointment completes a full circle in Babar’s leadership journey. Following Pakistan’s disappointing campaign at the 2023 ODI World Cup, Babar stepped down as captain across all formats. Shan Masood was subsequently appointed Test captain, but Pakistan struggled to produce consistent results, with changing combinations and leadership uncertainty affecting the team’s progress.
While Shan Masood has retained his place in the squad as a specialist batter, the selectors have decided to restore Babar as captain in an effort to bring stability before two demanding away tours. The move also reflects the management’s confidence in Babar’s leadership despite the ups and downs he has experienced over the past few years.
Babar’s captaincy journey has been far from straightforward. After stepping down from all-format leadership, he was reinstated as Pakistan’s white-ball captain in 2024 before resigning again to focus on his batting. His return as Test captain now represents another fresh chapter as Pakistan looks to rebuild its red-ball fortunes.
Pakistan has announced a 16-member squad for the West Indies series, featuring experienced names such as Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Sajid Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Khurram Shahzad, Aamir Jamal and Shan Masood. The squad also includes several uncapped players, highlighting the selectors’ intention to gradually transition towards the next generation.
For the England tour, Pakistan has named a 17-member squad, with Saud Shakeel added to the group, subject to fitness. The remainder of the squad remains unchanged, ensuring continuity as the team prepares for one of the toughest assignments in international Test cricket.
Pakistan will begin their campaign against the West Indies at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba before taking on England in a three-match series featuring Tests at Leeds, Lord’s and Birmingham. With Babar Azam back at the helm, all eyes will be on whether he can guide Pakistan to success and restore stability to the team’s Test ambitions.