New Delhi, March 4 – Pakistan's musical chairs with the head coach continue, with former captain Sarfaraz Ahmed set to take over the vacant position for the two-Test series in Bangladesh in May, a news report claimed on Wednesday.
The position had been vacant since December last year when Azhar Mahmood ended his contract – which was due to run until March 2026 – but with no Tests scheduled until March-April next year, following an agreement with the PCB, Sarfaraz Ahmed is now poised to take over, Telecom Asia Sport reported.
"Sarfaraz has been approached by Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi to take over as head coach of the Test team, and he has agreed to work with Shan Masood as captain, as the two are good friends and can help Pakistan improve their ninth place in the last World Test Championship," sources told Telecom Asia Sport.
Pakistan finished fifth, seventh, and ninth in the three World Test Championship cycles. Misbah-ul Haq was another option who served as head coach in all formats in 2019-20 before being removed by then-PCB chairman Ramiz Raja.
Pakistan also has Australian Jason Gillespie as Test coach for a two-year stint in 2024, but the former fast bowler left after falling out with the PCB in December of that year. Pakistan also has two Tests scheduled in the West Indies in July, followed by three in England in August.
Sarfaraz has no coaching experience, but he was recently appointed as a mentor for Pakistan Under-19 and Pakistan Shaheens.
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi believes Younis Khan should be appointed as Test coach. "With over 10,000 Test runs and a reputation as a top-class batter in the longer format, I think Younis should be given the Test team," Afridi told local media.
