Babar Azam at centre of new captaincy debate in Pakistan cricket

KARACHI: Test cricketer Ahmed Shehzad has said that Babar Azam should not be reinstated as captain of the national side, arguing that leadership decisions should not be based on short-term results.

Speaking during a private television program, Ahmed Shehzad questioned the rationale behind changing or reinstating leadership based on performance in a single tournament.

“If a team wins a few matches in an event, it does not erase years of performance history,” he said, referring to Babar Azam’s previous tenure as captain.

He added that evaluating leadership should be based on long-term results rather than limited success in recent matches. “How can years of outcomes be reversed by success in one tournament?” he remarked.

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Ahmed Shehzad further said that Babar Azam should focus solely on his batting, stating that the batter should concentrate on scoring runs and helping Pakistan win matches through performance rather than leadership responsibilities.

He also pointed to Babar Azam’s Test record, claiming that his recent red-ball performances have been below expectations, with limited half-centuries in his last two dozen innings.

Meanwhile, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif advised that the national team should prioritize upcoming Test assignments instead of focusing on T20 leadership debates.

He said Pakistan has an important Test series ahead, including matches against Bangladesh and West Indies, and urged players like Babar Azam to focus on contributing in the World Test Championship cycle.

Latif emphasized that the immediate goal should be winning Test matches and improving standings in the championship rather than engaging in discussions about captaincy changes.