Who Are Pakistan's New Captains In ODI, T20I And Test Cricket After Babar Azam's Resignation?

Pakistan cricket has seen a change in leadership across formats following Babar Azam's resignation from white-ball captaincy. Mohammad Rizwan, the wicketkeeper-batter, has been named the new captain for Pakistan in ODIs and T20Is, while Babar remains in the squad as a senior batsman. All-rounder Salman Ali Agha will serve as Rizwan’s deputy in limited-overs formats. (More Cricket News)

The shake-up was confirmed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as it announced the squads for upcoming tours of Australia and Zimbabwe. Rizwan’s first assignment will be against Australia, starting November 4 with an ODI in Melbourne. Following the Australia tour, Rizwan will be rested for workload management during the Zimbabwe series, where Salman Ali Agha will lead the T20I side.

PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi clarified that Babar’s resignation was entirely his decision, saying, “No one forced him to resign as captain. It is his personal decision. He wants to focus on his batting.”

Underlining the rationale behind Rizwan’s promotion, Naqvi said, “I spoke to all selectors and five mentors and discussed the issue, and everyone felt unanimous that Rizwan should be made captain of the white ball, with Salman Ali Agha as his vice-captain.” Naqvi expressed confidence in Rizwan’s leadership, noting that his "commitment and passion" would elevate the team’s performance.

Rizwan, who has 74 ODIs and 102 T20Is to his name, embraced the challenge. “Representing Pakistan on the global stage is the greatest privilege, and to now be entrusted with leading such a talented and exciting group of players is a tremendous honour," he said. His first game as T20I captain will be on November 14 in Brisbane, where he’ll become the 12th to lead Pakistan in the format.

While Babar, alongside Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, has been recalled for the Australia series, they will rest for the Zimbabwe tour. Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan, both senior players, missed out on selection due to various reasons, with Fakhar reportedly facing an inquiry for a social media post.

The PCB has also shifted its selection process, with Aaqib Javed overseeing selection committee meetings. Although no chief selector has been appointed, Javed is facilitating the decisions, aiming to bring a fresh approach to the team’s structure.

Pakistan national cricket team's head coach for ODI and T20I, Gary Kirsten also resigned from his post on Monday. PCB have accepted his resignation and Test team coach Jason Gillespie will coach the team during the men's team's white-ball tour of Australia.

Pakistan recently won a Test series against England, finishing with a score of 2-1 after losing the first match in Multan. Previously, under the leadership of left-handed batter Shan Masood, the Pakistan Test team had lost a home series against Bangladesh nearly two months ago. However, Masood is set to lead the Test team in South Africa this December.