Babar Azam is one of the best batsmen of this generation in the Pakistan team. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also smiled with satisfaction by handing over the team’s leadership to the best batsman. He will perform and lead the team from the front – that’s what the board bosses thought. But it didn’t happen. Pakistan has forgotten to win on their soil in Tests.

Pakistan’s recent performance in white-ball cricket has not been too bad. Pakistan also played the final in the last World Cup in the shortest version of cricket. However, Pakistan’s time in red-ball cricket is not going very well. Babar Azam’s team recently lost the Test series against Australia and England in the country. A series draw against New Zealand at home can be mentioned as the only success. In such a situation, many of Pakistan’s former think that Babar should at least step down from the post of Test captain. This captain of Pakistan has to face the question of leaving the leadership. During the ODI series against New Zealand at home, Babar also expressed his displeasure at such questions from reporters. At that time, Babar did not say anything about the leadership, but this time Babar Azam’s all-rounder Hasan Ali was named the possible substitute.

Babar’s teammate Hasan Ali has named leg-spinning all-rounder Shadab Khan as his replacement in the leadership question. In a press conference organized on the occasion of PSL, Hasan was asked whether Shadab is ready for captaincy. In response to such a question, he said, ‘I think he (Shadab Khan) is ready for captaincy. He has already proved himself by captaining the PSL. He also has the experience of leading the Pakistan team twice as acting captain. So I think Shadab is ready to lead. He likes to take challenges and wants to give his best.’

Shadab Khan captained the PSL in 2019. He is also serving as Babar Azam’s deputy in the Pakistan national team. Shan Masood served as his vice-captain in the series against New Zealand. However, Hasan’s choice to play as Shadab’s teammate in the Pakistan team and Islamabad United is Shadab. Shadab Khan led Islamabad United in 32 matches. In addition to bringing the team 17 wins, they lost 15 games. Meanwhile, the buzz has been in the air for quite some time that PCB wants to remove Babar Azam from the leadership of at least one edition. PCB wants to make such a decision to reduce the pressure on the best batsman.