Babar Azam Accepted Test Captaincy Only After Seeking All-Format Leadership: Report

New Delhi, July 2026: Pakistan star batter Babar Azam reportedly agreed to return as the country’s Test captain only after receiving assurances that he could eventually reclaim leadership across all three formats of international cricket, according to a media report published on Monday.

The report claimed that Babar, who had stepped down as Pakistan’s all-format captain in late 2023, was approached by national selectors after Shan Masood’s disappointing tenure as Test skipper. However, before accepting the offer, the former captain is said to have insisted that he wanted to lead Pakistan in Tests, One-Day Internationals and Twenty20 Internationals rather than being confined to a single format.

According to sources quoted by Telecom Asia Sport, two members of the national selection panel met Babar before the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officially announced him as Test captain on July 5.

The selectors reportedly informed Babar that he was the preferred choice for the Test captaincy after Pakistan’s poor performances in the longest format. However, Babar is said to have accepted the responsibility only after making it clear that his long-term ambition was to regain complete leadership of the national side.

Sources quoted in the report said Babar had consistently preferred serving as Pakistan’s sole captain across all formats. During the discussions, selectors allegedly assured him that if Pakistan performed well during the five-Test tour comprising matches against the West Indies and England, he would be considered for captaincy in the remaining formats as well.

Pakistan’s current ODI captain is fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi, while Salman Agha continues to lead the T20I side. However, the report suggested that both leadership positions could come under review depending on the team’s performances over the coming months.

Shaheen himself reportedly endured a difficult captaincy stint after being appointed T20I captain in 2024. He was removed from the role after just one series following Pakistan’s defeat in New Zealand, making his tenure one of the shortest in the country’s recent cricket history.

The PCB is understood to have deliberated for nearly two months before replacing Shan Masood as Test captain. Masood reportedly managed only four victories in 16 Tests since taking charge in December 2023, losing 12 matches during his tenure. Those results are believed to have prompted the selectors to search for an experienced replacement.

Before approaching Babar, the selectors reportedly sounded out Salman Agha regarding the Test captaincy. According to the report, Salman politely declined the offer, preferring not to lead a side struggling with inconsistent performances and dressing-room cohesion.

Salman has also faced criticism for Pakistan’s performance in the ICC T20 World Cup earlier this year, where the team failed to qualify for the semi-finals after defeats to India during the group stage and England in the Super Six phase. His leadership style reportedly came under scrutiny, with critics describing it as overly defensive.

The report further claimed that Babar had previously rejected an offer to captain Pakistan in only one format after resigning from all leadership roles in November 2023.

At the time, Pakistan had suffered an early exit from the ODI World Cup in India, prompting then-PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf to consider a leadership change. Sources alleged that Ashraf had invited Babar for discussions regarding the future captaincy, but the batter chose to resign from all formats after learning that Shan Masood was already present at the chairman’s office during the meeting.

Despite mixed results as captain, Babar enjoyed a respectable record in Test cricket, leading Pakistan in 20 matches. Under his leadership, the team registered 10 victories, suffered six defeats and played out four draws, making him one of the country’s more successful recent Test captains.

Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has also predicted that Babar will eventually return as Pakistan’s all-format captain before next year’s ODI World Cup. According to the report, Basit believes that any prolonged absence of Shaheen Shah Afridi due to injury could accelerate the leadership transition, while Salman Agha’s future as T20I captain also remains uncertain.

Although neither the PCB nor Babar Azam has officially commented on the reported discussions, the speculation highlights the continuing debate over Pakistan’s leadership structure as the team prepares for an important international calendar leading up to the 2027 ODI World Cup cycle.