Babar Azam Captain: Third Return Raises Questions Over Timing

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Babar Azam Returns as Test Captain

The Pakistan Times Live | Islamabad Times 

The Pakistan Cricket Board has once again handed Babar Azam the reins of the Test team, naming him captain for the upcoming series against West Indies and England. It is his third time taking on the role  a decision that has left many cricket followers wondering why he keeps accepting it, given how the job has repeatedly disrupted his batting form in the past.

A Timeline of Three Stints

Babar Azam first took over as Pakistan's all-format captain in 2019-2020, leading the T20I, ODI, and Test sides through one of the more successful periods of his career, including a stretch as the world's No. 1 ODI batter and team. That first stint ended in November 2023, when he resigned across all formats following Pakistan's disappointing exit from the ODI World Cup in India.

Just four months later, in March 2024, the PCB brought him back this time only as white-ball (ODI and T20I) captain. That second stint lasted barely six months. In October 2024, Babar stepped down again, citing workload and a desire to focus on his batting after a visible dip in form; at one point he had gone ten international innings without a half-century.

He then spent months rebuilding his batting away from leadership duties, culminating in October-November 2025 when he became the leading run-scorer in T20I history and returned to strong form. Now, in July 2026, the Test captaincy has been handed to him for a third time, replacing Shan Masood, whose tenure ended after Pakistan lost 12 of 16 Tests under him, including a 2-0 series defeat to Bangladesh.

The Timing Question

The Pakistan Times Live notes that this appointment comes at an unusual point in the cycle. Pakistan currently sits ninth in the World Test Championship standings, effectively out of contention for a place in the final. Critics argue that handing Babar the captaincy now after he had only just steadied his batting following two earlier captaincy stints that coincided with slumps  carries a real risk of repeating the same pattern, without the incentive of a WTC campaign still in play. Pakistan will play two Tests against the West Indies (July 25August 6) followed by three against England (August 19–September 13).

Conclusion

Whether this third stint plays out differently from the first two will depend heavily on whether Babar can keep his batting and captaincy duties from colliding again a balance that has proven difficult for him twice before. The Pakistan Times Live will continue to follow the series as it unfolds.

© 2026 The Pakistan Times Live. All rights reserved.

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