Pakistan is struggling in Test cricket, sitting at the bottom of the ICC World Test Championship ranking—exactly where they finished in the previous cycle. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has once again turned to a familiar face. Shan Masood’s tenure as Test captain has ended after 16 tests, with Babar Azam returning to the role less than three years after stepping down.
The timing is significant. Pakistan are preparing for challenging away tours in the West Indies and England, series that could define the early direction of their new World Test Championship campaign.
Pakistan’s Test Troubles
Shan Masood assumed the Test captaincy in November 2023 after Babar Azam stepped down. His tenure, however, coincided with a challenging phase for Pakistan in the longest format.
Masood’s own batting performances were encouraging. He averaged over 34 during his captaincy, scored two centuries, and emerged as one of Pakistan’s more dependable batters in the format.
But Pakistan won 4 and lost 12 of the 16 Tests under Masood, including a historic home series defeat to Bangladesh—the first-ever Test series loss to their Asian counterparts.
Several of Pakistan’s defeats were closely contested, with the team unable to capitalise on promising positions at crucial moments. High Performance Director Aaqib Javed noted that converting competitive situations into victories remained one of the side’s biggest challenges.
“We saw many close Test matches [under Masood’s captaincy], but a few things were not being addressed. Like the Centurion Test [2024/25], South Africa’s two batters at No.10 [Senuran Muthusamy and Kagiso Rabada put on a 60-70 run partnership [98 runs]. The game was in our hands. Against the West Indies in Multan, in the second Test, the team was rolled over easily.”
Matches against South Africa, the West Indies, and Bangladesh highlighted moments where Pakistan were well placed before momentum shifted away from them.
Why Babar Is Back — And Why He Left in 2023
Babar Azam’s first stint as Test captain produced 10 victories in 20 matches, including memorable away series wins in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, while Pakistan also defeated South Africa at home under his leadership. As captain, Babar averaged over 50 with the bat, significantly higher than his overall Test average.
But his first tenure was not flawless. Pakistan endured an eight-match winless streak at home and suffered their only 3-0 Test whitewash on home soil against England. Tactical shortcomings—particularly in field placements, bowling changes and the use of spin—led many observers to question whether Babar possessed the instincts required for long-format captaincy.
Those concerns, along with mounting workload across formats, eventually led Babar to step aside after the successful Sri Lanka tour in 2023. Now, circumstances have brought both player and board back together.
Daniyal Rasool perhaps captured the situation best when he described the reunion as “a marriage of convenience between a board that found itself out of options, and a player searching for glory that seemed inevitable in those halcyon days of the early 2020s.”
Babar acknowledged that changing captains alone will not change Pakistan’s fortunes. Reflecting on his second appointment, he emphasised three principles that will define his leadership.
“My main focus is on discipline, fitness, and performance and there would be no compromise on them.”
He is aware that Pakistan’s shortcomings extend beyond tactics.
“What I have realised over the years is that we have been lacking a bit in fitness in Test cricket because of which we did not have impactful performances with the bat or ball.”
Pakistan’s Pace Crisis
Only a few years ago, Shaheen was regarded as one of the world’s premier fast bowlers. Before his knee injury in 2022, he had claimed 99 Test wickets at an average below 25 while forming a promising fast-bowling partnership with Naseem Shah.
Since returning, however, his effectiveness has declined dramatically. He has managed just 27 wickets in his last 16 Test innings at an average exceeding 40, while his pace has dropped considerably. During Pakistan’s recent defeat in Bangladesh, selectors became increasingly concerned that several fast bowlers were operating around 126 km/h by the second and third day of Test matches.
That concern shaped Pakistan’s new selection policy. Shaheen, Hasan Ali and Noman Ali have all been omitted, Naseem Shah is asked to regain fitness and form by playing first-class cricket, while uncapped youngster Ubaid Shah, Mohammad Ali and Aamir Jamal have been recalled in an attempt to inject greater pace and endurance into the attack.
Aaqib Javed made the selectors’ thinking clear.
“We are concerned with the pace of our fast bowlers. It is unacceptable that their speeds drop to 126kph on the second or third day of a Test.”
The PCB has also introduced format-specific central contracts, and players are asked to prioritise formats instead of attempting to play everything.
The country’s once-feared fast-bowling identity has gradually weakened, leaving the attack unable to consistently take twenty wickets—the single biggest requirement for winning Test matches.
West Indies and England Tours
Babar’s second tenure begins under demanding circumstances. Pakistan will first tour the West Indies for a two-Test series before travelling to England for three more Tests—their first Test tour there in six years.
Although the West Indies are rebuilding, Caribbean conditions remain challenging. New-ball movement, variable bounce and humid weather demand patience from batters while rewarding disciplined fast bowling.
England presents an even sterner examination. Headingley, Lord’s and Edgbaston traditionally offer assistance to seam bowlers, especially early in matches. Pakistan have historically struggled to produce consistent batting performances in English conditions, while lapses have often allowed matches to drift away.
The new-look pace attack will therefore face immediate scrutiny. Young bowlers must maintain pace deep into spells, while Pakistan’s experienced batters—including Babar, Rizwan and Shan Masood—will have to shoulder greater responsibility against high-quality bowling attacks.
These five Tests could shape not only Pakistan’s World Test Championship campaign but also the long-term future of several senior players.
