The clouds over Sarfaraz Ahmed’s future as head coach have finally cleared. Sources say he has been given a clean chit for the upcoming series, though the same cannot be said for Test captain Shan Masood, whose position remains very much up in the debate.
Sarfaraz will continue as head coach for the tours of West Indies and England. Both are being seen as make or break for his coaching career, and those close to the matter say a final decision will only come once both tours are done and dusted.
Getting here was not easy. He was handed the head coaching responsibility in Bangladesh series, where Pakistan went on to lose both Tests in Mirpur and Sylhet.
The defeats hit hard and the rumour mill went into overdrive, with many convinced that Younis Khan was about to walk through the door as his replacement.
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That did not happen, and the management has decided to back him for now.
Masood’s situation is a different story altogether. He is still captain, but nobody seems entirely sure for how long.
His sit-down with the PCB Chairman a few days ago only got rumours spreading, and the speculation around his future has been growing ever since.
On paper, the numbers are damaging. Twelve losses from sixteen Tests is a record that is genuinely difficult to defend.
What keeps Masood relevant in this conversation is his batting. He has scored 1,065 runs during this period, with 2 centuries and 10 half-centuries, and that form has not gone unnoticed.
Salman Agha’s name has also been thrown into the mix for the captaincy. He has done well in the shorter formats but has never played a Test in England, which remains a serious gap in his experience given what lies ahead.
Also read: Pakistan Cricket Board considers key role for Younis Khan
