Pakistan has officially reappointed Babar Azam as the captain of the national Test team ahead of the upcoming tours of the West Indies and England. The experienced top-order batter returns to the role after previously leading the side in the longest format between November 2020 and November 2023.
Babar replaces Shan Masood, whose tenure as Test captain comes to an end after a difficult run of results. Masood led Pakistan in 16 Test matches since taking charge in December 2023, with the team managing only three victories while suffering 13 defeats. Pakistan also finished at the bottom of the 2023–25 ICC World Test Championship standings and currently sit ninth in the new championship cycle following a 2-0 series loss to Bangladesh in May.
While announcing the new Test squad on Sunday, chief selector Aaqib Javed said the selection committee carefully discussed the leadership role before deciding that Babar Azam was the best choice to guide the team. He explained that the committee believed a change in captaincy was necessary and expressed confidence in Babar’s ability to lead Pakistan in the challenging Test season ahead.
Babar had stepped down as Pakistan captain across all formats after the team’s disappointing campaign at the 2023 ODI World Cup. He later returned as white-ball captain before the 2024 T20 World Cup but resigned again in October 2024 to focus on his batting and overall performance.
Pakistan will begin their Test campaign with a two-match series against the West Indies, starting on July 25, followed by the second Test on August 2. The team will then travel to England for a three-match Test series, with matches scheduled at Headingley on August 19, Lord’s on August 27, and Edgbaston on September 9.
The newly announced squad also features several notable changes. Fast bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Hasan Ali have been omitted after being part of the Bangladesh tour. Young pacer Ubaid Shah, the 20-year-old younger brother of Naseem Shah, has earned his maiden Test call-up, while Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas and Mohammad Ali complete the pace attack. Middle-order batter Awais Zafar and left-arm spinner Ali Usman have also received their first-ever Test selections.
