Babar Azam remains one of Pakistan’s most successful modern-day cricketers, and his first stint as Test captain produced several memorable moments. With reports suggesting Pakistan could once again hand him the red-ball leadership, his previous captaincy record has come back into focus.
Between 2021 and 2023, Babar captained Pakistan in 20 Test matches. His tenure included dominant home series victories, successful overseas tours, some historic batting performances, and difficult periods against top-quality opposition. While Pakistan experienced mixed team results, Babar consistently delivered with the bat, averaging above 50 as captain.
Babar Azam Test Captaincy Record
| Record | Stats |
|---|---|
| Captaincy Period | 2021-2023 |
| Matches | 20 |
| Wins | 10 |
| Losses | 6 |
| Draws | 4 |
| Win Percentage | 50% |
| Win-Loss Ratio | 1.67 |
Babar guided Pakistan to victory in half of his Test matches as captain. His side won 10 matches, lost six and drew four, giving him one of the better winning percentages among Pakistan captains who have led the side in a significant number of Test matches.
Pakistan’s Test Series Results Under Babar Azam
| Year | Series | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Pakistan vs South Africa | Pakistan won 2-0 |
| 2021 | Zimbabwe vs Pakistan | Pakistan won 2-0 |
| 2021 | West Indies vs Pakistan | Drawn 1-1 |
| 2021 | Bangladesh vs Pakistan | Pakistan won 2-0 |
| 2022 | Pakistan vs Australia | Australia won 1-0 |
| 2022 | Sri Lanka vs Pakistan | Drawn 1-1 |
| 2022 | Pakistan vs England | England won 3-0 |
| 2022-23 | Pakistan vs New Zealand | Drawn 0-0 |
| 2023 | Sri Lanka vs Pakistan | Pakistan won 2-0 |
The strongest period of Babar’s captaincy came early in his tenure. Pakistan completed clean sweeps against South Africa, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh before registering another impressive 2-0 away series victory in Sri Lanka.
However, challenging home series against Australia and England proved difficult. England’s 3-0 whitewash was one of the toughest phases of his captaincy before Pakistan bounced back with another series win in Sri Lanka.
Babar Azam’s Batting Record as Test Captain
Leading the team did not affect Babar’s batting. In fact, he produced some of the finest performances of his Test career while captaining Pakistan.
| Batting Record | Stats |
|---|---|
| Matches | 20 |
| Innings | 35 |
| Runs | 1,727 |
| Average | 50.79 |
| Highest Score | 196 |
| Hundreds | 4 |
| Fifties | 11 |
Scoring more than 1,700 runs at an average above 50 highlights Babar’s ability to lead from the front. His consistency remained one of the biggest positives during his captaincy stint.
Home vs Away Batting Record as Captain
| Venue | Innings | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 19 | 1,086 | 57.15 | 3 | 6 |
| Away/Neutral | 16 | 641 | 42.73 | 1 | 5 |
Babar was especially dominant at home, averaging more than 57 while registering three centuries. Even away from home, he maintained an average above 42 and played several crucial innings.
Babar Azam’s Test Record in Winning Matches as Captain
Pakistan won 10 Tests under Babar’s leadership, during which he contributed consistently with the bat.
| Record | Stats |
|---|---|
| Matches Won | 10 |
| Runs | 581 |
| Average | 38.73 |
| Hundreds | 1 |
| Fifties | 4 |
Some of his notable innings in victories include:
- 119 against Sri Lanka at Galle
- 77 against South Africa at Rawalpindi
- 76 against Bangladesh at Mirpur
- 75 against West Indies at Sabina Park
These performances played an important role in Pakistan securing series victories.
Babar Azam’s Record in Defeats as Captain
Interestingly, Babar produced several outstanding individual performances even in losing causes.
| Record | Stats |
|---|---|
| Matches Lost | 6 |
| Runs | 652 |
| Average | 54.33 |
| Hundreds | 1 |
| Fifties | 7 |
His major knocks in defeats include:
- 136 against England at Rawalpindi
- 132 runs across both innings against England at Karachi
- 122 runs across both innings against Australia at Lahore
- 97 runs across both innings against Sri Lanka at Galle
These innings showed that his personal form often remained strong despite Pakistan struggling to convert performances into victories.
Babar Azam’s Record in Drawn Tests as Captain
Babar enjoyed his best batting average in drawn matches.
| Record | Stats |
|---|---|
| Drawn Matches | 4 |
| Runs | 494 |
| Average | 70.57 |
| Hundreds | 2 |
His biggest performances came in drawn contests, including:
- 196 against Australia at Karachi
- 161 against New Zealand at Karachi
Both innings are regarded among the finest defensive and long-format knocks of his Test career.
Best Test Innings as Pakistan Captain
| Score | Opponent | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 196 | Australia | Karachi | 2022 |
| 161 | New Zealand | Karachi | 2022 |
| 136 | England | Rawalpindi | 2022 |
| 119 | Sri Lanka | Galle | 2022 |
| 77 | South Africa | Rawalpindi | 2021 |
These innings demonstrated Babar’s ability to anchor the innings under pressure while carrying the responsibility of captaincy.
Highlights of Babar Azam’s Test Captaincy
- Captained Pakistan in 20 Test matches.
- Won 10 Tests with a 50% win percentage.
- Led Pakistan to series victories over South Africa, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
- Scored 1,727 runs while serving as captain.
- Averaged 50.79 with four centuries and 11 half-centuries.
- Registered career-defining knocks of 196 against Australia and 161 against New Zealand.
- Averaged over 57 in home Tests as captain.
Can Babar Azam Enjoy Another Successful Test Captaincy Stint?
Reports have suggested that Pakistan are considering bringing Babar Azam back as Test captain following a difficult period for the team under Shan Masood. While no official appointment has been confirmed, Babar’s previous record presents a strong case. During his first spell, Pakistan won half of their Test matches, secured multiple series victories, and Babar himself remained among the team’s most reliable batters.
If he returns to lead Pakistan again, his earlier captaincy record suggests he has both the experience and batting quality to guide the team through another important phase in Test cricket.
