Following star batter Babar Azam’s resignation as Pakistan’s white-ball captain, there is considerable speculation regarding his successor. Reportedly, candidates for the position include Test vice-captain Saud Shakeel, explosive opener Fakhar Zaman, and all-rounder Salman Ali Agha.
Reports also suggest that despite having leadership experience, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and pace bowler Shaheen Afridi are unlikely to be considered for the role.
Saud Shakeel’s consideration may be due to him recently taking over as Test vice-captain from Rizwan during Pakistan’s series against Bangladesh. Meanwhile, Fakhar Zaman, who is known or his explosive batting, is also one of the leading candidates for the job. In contrast, Salman Ali Agha has not yet captained any team at the domestic level.
The role of Pakistan’s captain has been in constant flux following Pakistan’s disappointing World Cup performance last November, after which Babar Azam stepped down.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) then appointed Shaheen Afridi as the T20 captain and Shan Masood as the Test captain. Shaheen’s stint as captain was then cut short with Babar returning to lead the white-ball team in March this year only to step down once more.
This recent resignation by Babar Azam has once left the captaincy position open with talks of the next person in line being one of the most hotly debated topics in recent times.
