Former Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Aamir has raised questions on the re-appointment of Babar Azam as Pakistan’s Test captain. The left-arm fast bowler said the leadership role would add unnecessary mental pressure on Babar, warning that the added responsibility could affect the batsman’s recent improvement with the bat.
Pakistan Cricket Board has recently appointed Babar as the Test captain again. Before the West Indies tour, Babar had replaced Shan Masood. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Test team started the two-match Test series with a 90-run defeat against West Indies at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Taruba.
“It’s not a good decision” – Mohammad Amir questions Babar Azam’s return as Test captain
Speaking on Wisden’s podcast The Scoop Extended, Mohammad Amir questioned the Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision to re-appoint Babar Azam as Test captain. He said that Babar should only focus on his batting because he remains the best player of Pakistan.
“He has started performing well now after a long time, like after two and a half years, you can say he looks in good form,” Aamir said.
“I don’t know what he is going to do. I think, for me, it is a personal opinion, he should have played as a player, free of mind, less pressure because he is the only player we can trust as a player, right? He is the best player in Pakistan at the moment. But I think as a captain, it is not a good decision.”
🗣️ “He’s the only one we can trust as a player”
Mohammad Aamir on the decision to reinstate Babar Azam as Pakistan Test captain
Watch the full scoop extended interview 👉 https://t.co/AnFn6UrN93 pic.twitter.com/d38nkSj5tS
– Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 29, 2026
Babar Azam boasts impressive batting numbers as Pakistan Test captain
Babar Azam has performed brilliantly while leading Pakistan in Test cricket. He has scored 1,808 runs in 37 innings at an average of 51.65, which includes four centuries and 12 half-centuries. His highest score as a Test captain is 196.
Before the ongoing West Indies series, Babar had led Pakistan to 10 wins in 20 Test matches. However, he has not scored a single Test century in the last four years. He enjoyed an excellent campaign in PSL 2026 and scored 588 runs. The batsman recorded scores of 68 and 47 during Pakistan’s recent tour of Bangladesh.
The PCB hopes Babar can carry that form into the remaining Test season as Pakistan looks to improve its position in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle.
Babar Azam’s unbeaten fifty went in vain, West Indies defeated Pakistan
Pakistan lost to West Indies by 90 runs in the opening test. At the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Taruba. Chasing 211 to win, the visitors were all out for 120 after another batting collapse on the fourth day.
Babar Azam remained unbeaten on 58 and shared a 49-run partnership with Mohammad Abbas, who scored 23 runs. However, no batsman from Pakistan could reach beyond 20 runs. Jaden Seals played the match-winning innings by taking five wickets for 20 runs in the second innings.
Earlier in the match, Shan Masood had scored 109 runs in the first innings before suffering a hand injury, forcing him to bat lower down the order in the game. West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves was named player of the match for his all-round contribution.
