Azhar Ali likely to be appointed Pakistan’s Test captain with Babar Azam as deputy

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reportedly considering to choose Azhar Ali as captain of the Test team in place of Sarfaraz Ahmed, while letting the current skipper to continue as the captain of the One Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20I sides.

In addition, Mickey Arthur is likely to serve as the head coach of Pakistan till the Twenty20 World Cup, which is scheduled to begin next year. As per media reports, the decision comes after initial consultation by the PCB for the head coach and Test captain. Azhar will most likely become Pakistan’s Test captain again, while Mickey's contract is likely to be extended till next year's Twenty20 World Cup.

The decision was taken to reduce the burden on Sarfaraz, who will continue to lead Pakistan in the limited formats, whereas, Pakistan top order batsman Babar Azam is likely to be appointed as the vice-captain in all three formats, as the board eyes to groom Babar for the future.