Are Pakistan going for split captaincy for different formats?

After the 2019 cricket World Cup finished, teams that failed to make it count have started contemplating ways to revive their fortunes. Former champions Pakistan, for instance, failed to make the semi-finals despite making a late surge in their performances and now sources indicate the team could go for split captaincy for different formats. Currently, their wicketkeeper-batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed is at the helm in all three formats and there have been suggestions in the past to reduce some pressure off Sarfaraz’s shoulders.

India Today cited reports that quoted a source in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) saying the country’s Cricket Committee will meet later this month and therein, a proposal to split the captaincy and coaching for different formats could be discussed. Pakistan are ranked first in the T20Is but sixth in the ODIs and seventh in Tests.

“Since Pakistan has to play eight Tests of the World Test Championship against Sri Lanka, Australia, Bangladesh and England before the T20 World Cup in Australia next year, the PCB is pretty concerned about how to improve performance of the team in Tests,” the source was quoted as saying.

It further added that Pakistan will be playing in only three ODIs but nine to 10 T20Is before the T20 Asia Cup and World T20 next year and that has made the PCB think all the more about having separate questions and coaches for the red- and white-ball cricket.

Akram wants Sarfaraz and Mickey Arthur till World T20

It was also learnt that PCB Managing Director Wasim Khan met former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram in London during the World Cup. There, Akram reportedly advised Khan to retain Sarfaraz and head coach Mickey Arthur for the limited-overs till the T20 World Cup which will be held in Australia in October-November next year. Chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq meanwhile has retired in the wake of Pakistan’s failure in the ICC World Cup.

The PCB is reportedly considering having separate captains and head coaches along with support staff for Tests and limited overs. The source also said that if indeed the board goes for different captains and coaches for the different versions, senior batsmen Asad Shafiq and Azhar Ali are likely to be in the race for the captaincy.