Babar Azam Clarifies Limited Selection Role Under Interim Coach Mike Hesson
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has clarified that he no longer holds final authority over squad selection, stating on November 8 that his role is limited to providing “inputs” to the coaching staff and selection committee. The statement comes on the eve of the series opener against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi, a match preceded by abrupt changes to the national Test roster.
Addressing reporters ahead of the first Test, Babar emphasized that his primary responsibility is to manage the players provided to him by the selectors. “Selection is not in my hands; I simply give my inputs,” Babar said. He noted that his focus is now on extracting match-winning performances from the squad at his disposal, rather than dictating who is included in the final 15.
The captain’s comments follow a series of late adjustments to the Pakistan squad. Just 48 hours before the Rawalpindi Test, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) removed Abdullah Fazal and Ali Usman from the squad. This shift suggests a move toward the 2027-2029 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, as Pakistan currently sits 9th in the World Test Championship 2025-2027 standings.
The Impact of Interim Coaching
The perceived erosion of the captain’s selection power coincides with the tenure of Mike Hesson, who is currently serving as Pakistan’s interim red-ball head coach. Hesson, who took over following the departures of Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul in September 2026, reportedly wields significant influence over squad composition and long-term planning.
Analysis of the current team structure suggests that Hesson’s leadership is prioritizing a wider pool of talent, even if it limits the traditional autonomy of the captain. While Babar remains the face of the team on the field, the decision-making process behind the scenes has moved toward a committee-based approach where the head coach and selectors carry the deciding votes.
Babar enters this series under personal performance pressure as well. The captain is currently enduring a 40-inning century drought in Test cricket. With the team languishing at the bottom of the WTC table, his ability to convert his “inputs” into on-field results with a revamped squad will be a central theme of the Sri Lanka series.
