Babar Azam to be appointed as Test captain: report

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to appoint Babar Azam as the Test captain till the next World Cup, The News reported Monday.

Sources told the publication that Babar will lead the team in all three formats of the game till the next World Cup. His name as Test captain will be announced after the approval of Chairman Ehsan Mani.

Babar is already leading the T20 and ODI teams.

A few days ago, a senior PCB official asked Babar to lead the Test team as well and was assured of the board’s full support in this regard.

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Wasim Akram backs Babar

Pace legend Wasim Akram has backed Babar Azam to take charge in the Test format when the team will tour New Zealand.

In a Youtube video with Cricket Baaz, the man, nicknamed Swing ka Sultan, believes that the PCB should replace current captain Azhar Ali as Azam has the ability to serve Pakistan cricket for "a long time".

"You ask me as a former player, yes, I back Babar to become Test captain because he is our future and he can continue for a long time," he said.

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"If the PCB appoints him, they should for a proper time so that at least there is no confusion as to who is in charge in the dressing room."

Furthermore, Akram stressed over having a single captain format across all formats in order to prevent confusion and possible clashes.

"I back Babar because I don’t want to see those days when I was playing and there were around four to five captains in our dressing room," he said.