Why Ramiz Raja is Upset Over PCB's Decision to Replace Shan Masood as Test Captain

In a recent outburst, former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja criticized the PCB for replacing Shan Masood with Babar Azam as the Test captain. Raja argues that the team's poor performance cannot solely be blamed on the captain, especially when the squad lacks quality players. He believes that a captain's success is contingent upon the talent of the team he leads. As Pakistan prepares for its upcoming tours to the West Indies and England, Raja's comments highlight the ongoing debate about leadership and accountability within the cricketing community.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 11, 2026, 17:40 IST

Ramiz Raja Critiques PCB's Leadership Changes

Karachi: Former captain of the Pakistan cricket team, Ramiz Raja, has voiced his disapproval regarding the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) decision to replace Shan Masood as the Test captain for the upcoming tours to the West Indies and England.

The PCB has reinstated Babar Azam as the captain, a move that has not been well-received by Raja, who previously held the position of chairman of the cricket board. Babar had captained the national Test team from 2020 until 2023.

In a recent discussion on his YouTube channel, Ramiz remarked, "You provide him with an average Test team and then expect him to deliver favorable outcomes."

He raised concerns that Babar, who has taken over from Shan for the upcoming Caribbean and England tours, might encounter similar obstacles.

Raja expressed, "If I were in Shan's position, I would have lodged a formal complaint with the board, questioning how a captain can be expected to achieve positive results when consistently assigned a subpar group of players."

He further criticized the PCB, stating, "If the quality of the Test squad is lacking, how can the captain be solely held accountable for this?"

Shan Masood was dismissed after leading Pakistan in 16 Tests since December 2023, during which the team faced 12 losses.

Recently, senior selector Aqib Javed attributed the team's poor performance to the outgoing captain's leadership choices.

Ramiz countered this argument, asserting that a captain's effectiveness is directly linked to the caliber of players available to him. The Pakistan team is scheduled to depart on July 13 for the Caribbean, where they will play two Test matches before heading to England for three additional red-ball games in August and September.