Babar Azam has been reappointed as Pakistan’s Test captain after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) removed Shan Masood from the leadership role on Sunday following a disappointing run of results.

Masood’s removal had appeared increasingly likely after Pakistan managed just four victories in 16 Test matches under his captaincy, suffering 12 defeats during a tenure that began in late 2023 when he succeeded Babar as skipper.

Announcing the decision in Lahore, chief selector Aaqib Javed said the selection committee unanimously backed Babar’s return as Test captain, believing he was the best candidate to guide the team forward.

“We wanted to look for a captain who could lead the team in a much better way,” Javed told reporters. “Shan’s individual performance was good but as captain we weren’t getting the desired results.”

He added that there was complete agreement within the selection panel over Babar’s appointment, saying no other player emerged as a serious contender during discussions.

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Pakistan’s Test performances deteriorated significantly during Masood’s tenure. His first assignment ended in a 3-0 series defeat in Australia, followed by a historic 2-0 home series loss to Bangladesh—the first time Pakistan had been beaten by Bangladesh in a Test series on home soil.

The only bright spot of Masood’s captaincy came in the home series against England, where Pakistan recovered to register a 2-1 series victory. However, subsequent defeats against South Africa and the West Indies contributed to Pakistan finishing at the bottom of the previous ICC World Test Championship standings.

Javed also highlighted several areas in which he felt the team had fallen short under Masood’s leadership, stressing that the captain’s role extends well beyond individual batting performances.

“The captain has a responsibility of finishing the games,” Javed said. “Some things are the responsibility of the team, some are the responsibility of the selectors, and some are the responsibility of the captain. The captain’s responsibility also includes maintaining the team’s over rate, taking DRS decisions and making the right call at the toss.”

Despite the team’s struggles, Masood enjoyed a respectable run with the bat, scoring two centuries and seven half-centuries during his time as captain. Among his notable performances were consecutive fifties in the Melbourne Test against Australia.

Babar previously captained Pakistan in 20 Test matches, leading the side to 10 victories. His first stint as skipper began with a 2-0 home series win over South Africa, and he later oversaw clean sweeps against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka away from home.

As Test captain, Babar maintained an impressive batting average of over 50, with the 3-0 home series defeat to England standing out as the biggest setback during his earlier tenure.

His second spell as Pakistan’s Test captain will begin with a two-match series against the West Indies later this month. Masood has retained his place in the 16-member squad despite losing the captaincy.

Following the West Indies tour, Pakistan are scheduled to play a three-Test series in England, with Saud Shakeel set to join the touring party as a 17th member, subject to fitness clearance.

The squad also features several uncapped players, including left-arm spinner Ali Usman, right-handed batter Awais Zafar, right-arm fast bowler Ubaid Shah and wicketkeeper-batter Ghazi Ghori.