Had a conversation with him…he’s going to be in this team as a leader: Shaan Masood reveals chat with Babar Azam after taking reins | Cricket News
Pakan’s recently appointed Test captain Shaan Masood revealed the chat he had with Babar Azam before taking over the reins and also mentioned that his goal would be to build a culture where there are many leaders in the dressing room.
“I had a conversation with him (Babar Azam) and it was about taking the team forward, how to take it forward, Babar’s own role, and I think what you’ll see in the future is that he’s going to be in this team as a leader and the goal is to build a culture where there are many leaders, not just one captain doing everything,” Masood said to Cricket Pakan.
The 34-year-old also acknowledged that he was quite surprised when he was asked to take over the red-ball side. “I was playing in the One-Day Cup when it happened, completely out of the blue. I was in Islamabad at the time, and I think I received a call from the PCB (Pakan Cricket Board) that morning, saying that I should reach Lahore noon. Chairman Zaka Ashraf wanted to meet me. It was a very short notice, but I went for a day and then returned to play in the semi-final of the National One-Day cup. So, it was a very sudden story,”
The southpaw has a tough initial assignment of taking the side to play a three-match Test series against Australia away from home as part of their World Test Championship cycle.
In the ongoing practice match of Pakan against PM’XI the skipper started with a double ton. In his marathon innings, he scored 14 boundaries and hit one-six.
Pakan will next play a three-match series against the defending WTC Champions Australia. The first Test of the series will start on December 14 in Perth, followed a Boxing Day fixture in Melbourne and the final Test in Sydney.
