Babar Azam agreed to return as Pakistan's Test captain only after securing a conditional promise of all-format leadership, according to a report by Telecom Asia Sport published on Monday, 27 July. The development sheds light on the behind-the-scenes negotiations that preceded the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)'s formal captaincy announcement on 5 July.

The Condition Babar Set

According to sources cited in the report, two selectors met Babar before the captaincy announcement, acknowledging they had no viable alternative for red-ball leadership. 'Two selectors met Babar before the announcement of the Test captain on July 5 as they had no option other than Babar for red-ball captaincy and Babar accepted the role on condition of getting the captaincy in the other two formats as well,' sources told the publication.

The selectors reportedly responded by tying the all-format promise to performance: if Pakistan do well across their upcoming five Tests in the West Indies and England, Babar would be handed the full captaincy across all three formats.

Why Babar Had Stepped Away in 2023

Babar had voluntarily stepped down from all-format captaincy in November 2023, reportedly after being offered only the Test role — a proposition he declined at the time. Sources indicate that the then-PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf had wanted to remove Babar following Pakistan's early exit from the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. Upon learning that Shan Masood was already present in Ashraf's office during a scheduled meeting, Babar chose to step down from all three formats rather than accept a diminished role.

His Test record as captain was creditable — 10 wins, 6 losses, and 4 draws from 20 matches — making his eventual return to the role largely expected once Masood's tenure faltered.

Shan Masood's Troubled Reign

The PCB spent approximately two months deliberating before settling on Babar, as Masood's red-ball record proved difficult to defend. Masood lost 12 of the 16 Tests he captained since December 2023, a run that eroded confidence in the leadership group. The board's hesitation in acting swiftly drew criticism from several quarters within Pakistani cricket.

Salman Agha Turned It Down

Before approaching Babar, selectors reportedly reached out to Salman Agha, who politely declined. Sources suggest Agha was reluctant to inherit a squad struggling with cohesion and form. Agha himself has faced scrutiny as T20I captain, with critics arguing he was overly defensive during the T20I World Cup held in February–March 2025 — a tournament in which Pakistan failed to reach the semi-finals after defeats to India in the group stage and England in the Super Sixes.

Shaheen's Captaincy and What Comes Next

Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi currently holds the ODI captaincy, though his own leadership journey has been turbulent. He was removed as T20I captain after just one series in 2024, following a series loss in New Zealand. Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali has predicted that Babar will lead Pakistan at the ODI World Cup next year, suggesting it is already widely expected that Salman will not retain the T20I captaincy, with that role too eventually moving to Babar. 'A lot of people believe that once Shaheen gets injured and misses a series, Pakistan will have a chance to appoint Babar as all-format captain,' Ali was quoted as saying.

Whether the PCB follows through on its reported commitment to Babar will depend heavily on how Pakistan perform in their upcoming red-ball assignments.