The Pakistan cricket team is once again considering a change in captaincy. According to recent reports, Shan Masood, who took over the Test captaincy from Babar Azam, may soon be replaced. The Pakistani news channel Express News has reported that Mohammad Rizwan is a likely candidate to succeed Masood as Test captain. Masood has faced a challenging tenure, with the team failing to win any of the five Test matches under his leadership. After a series loss in Australia, Pakistan was also defeated 2-0 by Bangladesh at home, marking a disappointing performance.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reportedly unhappy with these results and is contemplating appointing Rizwan as captain. There is also speculation that Rizwan might be given the leadership roles in the ODI and T20 formats as well. Under Babar Azam’s captaincy, Pakistan’s performance in the T20 World Cup was below expectations, as they were eliminated after a loss to the USA in the initial stages. Consequently, there are discussions about Rizwan leading the team across all formats.
Rizwan has been a standout performer for Pakistan in recent times. At 32, he has made significant contributions across all formats, scoring 1,910 runs in 52 Test innings at an average of 44.41, over 2,088 runs in ODIs with an average exceeding 40, and 3,313 runs in T20s with an average of more than 48.
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Given Rizwan’s impressive performances, it seems likely that he will be appointed as captain. In contrast, Babar Azam, Shan Masood, and Shaheen Afridi have struggled with their form recently, and Masood, in particular, might be removed from the Test team due to his average being below 30. The PCB’s final decision is awaited. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s players are currently participating in the Champions ODI Cup and will soon face England in a three-match Test series at home.