Babar Azam back for third stint as Pakistan skipper

Babar Azam has been handed the reins of Pakistan’s Test side even as they languish in ninth place in the World Test Championship cycle after a 2-0 series defeat to Bangladesh in May.

The elegant stroke-maker replaces struggling Test captain Shan Masood whose tenure as skipper saw Pakistan lose 12 of the 16 Tests that they played under him.

"Azam will be our new Test captain as we feel that Masood could not lead as desired," said Pakistan selector Aaqib Javed at a news conference to announce the squad on Sunday.

"The selection committee discussed who could be the best player to lead Pakistan and Azam is the best option," said Javed.

Azam’s third stint – after having stepped down in November 2023 and then again in October 2024 – will see him lead the side without fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali who were omitted after being part of the squad that lost 2-0 in Bangladesh.

Azam will be expected to lead the revival in the two-Test series against the West Indies, scheduled from July 25 to August 6, and the three-Test series in England, scheduled for August 19 to September 13.

A 16-member squad has been named for the West Indies tour, while a 17-member group has been picked for the England series. Saud Shakeel has been included in the England squad, subject to fitness.

The selectors have also rewarded four uncapped players with call-ups. Left-arm spinner Ali Usman, right-handed batter Muhammad Awais Zafar, right-arm pacer Ubaid Shah, and wicketkeeper-batter Muhammad Ghazi Ghori have all been named in the squads as Pakistan look to inject fresh talent into the Test setup.

Azam’s appointment marks a significant turnaround in Pakistan's leadership timeline. The 31-year-old had resigned as captain across all formats in November 2023 following Pakistan's group-stage exit from the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in India.

Although he returned as Pakistan's ODI and T20I captain in March 2024, that stint proved short-lived. He stepped down from the white-ball captaincy again in October 2024, ending his second spell in charge after just six months.

His latest appointment now sees him return to the helm of the Test side as Pakistan prepare for two challenging overseas assignments.

Squad for West Indies tour: Babar Azam (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam ul Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Mohammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood, and Ubaid Shah 

Squad for England tour: Babar Azam (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam ul Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (wicket-keeper), Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicket-keeper), Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel (subject to fitness), Shan Masood, and Ubaid Shah