Shan Masood Likely to Continue as Test Captain; Sarfaraz Ahmed Expected to Be Assigned Red-Ball Coaching Role

Islamabad: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to retain Shan Masood as the captain of the national Test team, while former skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed is likely to be appointed as head coach for red-ball cricket, according to media reports.

The formal announcement of these appointments is expected after the schedule for Pakistan’s upcoming Test series against Bangladesh is finalized. The two-match series is tentatively set to begin on May 8 and May 16, with venues yet to be confirmed by the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

Reports suggest that Sarfaraz Ahmed will replace Azhar Mahmood in the red-ball coaching setup, while continuing to serve in a selector role. This would mark his first major assignment as a head coach.

The PCB is reportedly focused on maintaining stability in the Test setup as part of preparations for the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle.

In the current structure, Mike Hesson serves as the white-ball head coach, while Shaheen Shah Afridi and Salman Ali Agha lead the One Day International and T20 International sides, respectively.

Meanwhile, a red-ball training camp is underway at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore under Sarfaraz Ahmed’s supervision, focusing on emerging talent. Young opener Azan Awais has particularly stood out, having scored 844 runs in domestic cricket and playing a key role in guiding Sialkot to a Quaid-e-Azam Trophy title with four centuries.

Azan Awais expressed his ambition to represent Pakistan across all formats, with Test cricket remaining his primary goal.