LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) men’s selection committee member Aqib Javed has said that Babar Azam has been unanimously chosen as Test captain to replace Shaun Masood ahead of the West Indies and England tours.
Former captain Misbah-ul-Haq has also backed the decision, saying the star batsman remains one of Pakistan’s most valuable players across all three formats, despite a recent scrutiny of his T20I strike rate.
Recently, he Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday officially confirmed Babar Azam as Pakistan’s new Test captain ahead of the upcoming tours.
The 31-year-old returned to the role he previously held from 2020 to 2023, during which he led the team in 20 Tests, with 10 wins, six losses and four draws.
Addressing a press conference at Gaddafi Stadium, Javed said the selection committee held extensive discussions before unanimously recommending Babar for the post of chief.
“The selection committee sat and had extensive discussions. They assessed which player could prove to be the best captain in Test cricket. There were many discussions but the selection committee made only one recommendation and that was Babar Azam. That’s it,” Akib said.
Meanwhile, Misbah said the only significant concern over Babar Asam’s selection was his T20I strike rate, but the former skipper allayed those doubts by improving in the recent PSL, where he finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer and led his team to the title.
“Earlier Babar Asam’s selection in T20Is was the only question mark, mainly his strike rate. However, his performance in the recent PSL showed clear improvement. He has immense value even in the shortest format. He finished as the tournament’s top scorer and led his team to the title,” Misbah said.
He said Babbar is a valuable asset in all three formats and added that his future role depends more on the plans and overall composition of the team management than on any lapses in his ability.
“Now it depends on how Pakistan’s squad develops and where the coaches and management fit him. From my point of view, he is valuable in all three formats. He has already proved himself well in ODIs and he has established himself in Test cricket as well, though there is still room for him to improve his performance,” he said.
Misbah, described as Pakistan’s strongest technically gifted batsman and its most consistent performer, urged the team management to back him with confidence and deploy him in a role that would allow him to replicate his past success for the national team.
“His T20I record speaks for itself. Going forward, I still believe he is a very useful player who can be used in all three formats. Technically, I consider him Pakistan’s best batsman and his consistency is another big strength. It is important to decide how to use him and give Pakistan confidence the way he has done over the years,” he concluded.