Who Should Be Appointed Captain?

KARACHI:

“Shan Masood is being removed from captaincy.”
“Shan Masood remains captain for the next series.”

For quite some time now, you’ve been seeing both of these headlines at different points. Before every Test series in Pakistan, discussions about changing the leadership resurface but due to the lack of suitable options, the decision is postponed yet again. Now, ahead of the tours of the West Indies and England, the debate has once again gained momentum.

Since March 2022, Pakistan has played 12 Test series and managed to win only 2 of them one in Sri Lanka and the other against England, on home grounds. Even in those, the “big fan” arguably deserved the Man of the Series award, as after losing the first match, pitches were prepared that looked like Day 5 surfaces right from the start. Pakistan lost 6 series and drew 4, even losing two series to Bangladesh.

Although Babar Azam also failed to impress as captain, when Shan Masood took over in December 2023, the team had last won a series against Sri Lanka. Shan is highly educated and a composed individual. As a batter, he has significantly improved, but he has not succeeded as a leader. With 12 losses in 16 Tests and only 4 wins, he has become the second most unsuccessful captain in Pakistan’s history. Misbah-ul-Haq tops the list with 19 losses but those came in 56 matches.

Shan made sincere efforts, but he did not receive full support from some senior teammates. He socialized with them, even dined together, but perhaps they never truly accepted him as captain. His soft approach on the field also proved detrimental. You don’t need to look far just recall the Bangladesh series, where even for reviews, no one seemed willing to support him.

Since January 1, 2024, Shan has scored 910 runs, making him Pakistan’s second-highest run-scorer after Mohammad Rizwan (1080). During this period, Babar Azam has managed only 632 runs at an average of 28. Pakistan is ranked eighth among the ten Test teams. Not a single Pakistani batter is in the top 18 globally there’s even a Zimbabwean player in that list. Among the top 26 bowlers, only one Pakistani Nauman Ali (7th) is present.

In such circumstances, even if you make Steve Waugh captain, he wouldn’t be able to win matches with this team. If players don’t perform, what can a captain do? Every ICC Test Championship cycle, we dream of reaching the final but end up near the bottom currently eighth out of nine teams.

I also believe Shan Masood should no longer remain captain. The board had already made a decision, but Shan requested to be given a chance in the West Indies and England tours. Let’s see what happens. Being a good human being alone is not enough just like in marriage proposals, people say the boy is nice, but how much does he earn? In cricket, results matter.

However, the lack of options always becomes a hurdle. Babar Azam has already failed as captain should he be brought back? Shaheen Shah Afridi is out of Test plans, so that option is gone. That leaves Salman Ali Agha. His performances over the last three years have been solid. From 2023 to 2026, he is Pakistan’s second-highest run-scorer with 1127 runs, behind Rizwan (1188) and ahead of Shan (1107). No other player has crossed 1000 runs in this period.

Salman did not succeed as a T20 captain and may not play much international cricket in that format again. It’s unclear how he would perform as a Test captain. There were rumors that he refused captaincy, but they are not true. However, he needs to bring consistency to his individual performances.

Some may suggest Rizwan, but with age, his reflexes as a wicketkeeper are declining, and his batting has also become inconsistent. It is also said about Rizwan that he is not exactly as he appears to be, and it is unlikely that the board will appoint him as captain.

Saud Shakeel used to perform well at home but struggled abroad, and now his career itself seems unstable. In such a scenario, if Shan is removed, Salman appears the most likely candidate.

Leadership aside, selection also needs attention. We are no longer producing quality players from domestic cricket like before. Constant experimentation has damaged the system. Just as Azaan Awais and Abdullah Fazal have performed well in batting, other young players should also be given opportunities but not rushed; they should be properly groomed first.

Alongside aging spinners, young bowlers should be introduced. We must find genuine fast bowlers who can intimidate opposition batters. Pacers who get exhausted after a few overs are of no use. Including a requirement in central contracts to play first-class matches is a positive step only then will players develop the ability to bat long and bowl extended spells.

We must accept the reality that in fast bowling, we have fallen behind even Bangladesh. After identifying genuine pacers, their fitness must be improved so they don’t get injured after just two matches.

Pakistan will play 2 Tests in the West Indies and 3 in England. Something must be done to improve performance in these matches. Sarfaraz Ahmed has an excellent cricketing mind if given a free hand, he can bring positive change.

Test cricket is still considered the purest format of the game. The team’s recent poor performances are unacceptable and must be corrected quickly. Otherwise, if the ICC approves a two-tier Test Championship system, we may end up playing only against Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Ireland, and Afghanistan. You can imagine what that would mean for the future of Test cricket in Pakistan.