Reports | Babar Azam likely to lose red-ball captaincy by next July, Saqlain Mushtaq also to step down

Pakistan’s Test team has been going through a rough patch recently as they were whitewashed by England in a three-match Test series. They were criticized by many after the loss and Babar Azam might have to suffer the consequences of the result according to a report published by PTI. The report has revealed that Babar Azam might lose his captaincy by July next year as the Pakistan Cricket Board(PCB) are not happy with the recent results. 

Babar also became the first Pakistan captain to lose four successive home Tests in a calendar year after the Test series against England. PCB recently announced the squad for the New Zealand series and Babar was named as skipper but the scenario might change for the future series. The Test captaincy might be handed to Shan Masood or Mohammad Rizwan but the PCB doesn’t want to take any step in that direction right now as the move might impact the morale of the team. 

"A lot of discussions has been held on Babar's future as Test captain and it was decided to maintain the status quo for now. But what is decided is that in July Babar will be changed as Test captain," he explained. 

 Notably, according to several media reports, Ramiz Raja has been sacked as the chairman of the PCB and an official announcement might be on the cards very soon.