Shadab Khan not surprised with Babar’s return as Test captain

by mishaalmubarak July 12, 2026

Shadab Khan not surprised with Babar’s return as Test captain pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan joined Lancashire for the Vitality Blast after Chris Green was ruled out of the tournament due to injury. He is part of a sizeable Pakistan contingent in the competition, but unlike most of his compatriots, Shadab is an all-rounder. Over the past few years, he has transitioned, knowingly or unknowingly, into more of a bowling all-rounder, and that has been the case in this competition too.

Shadab at Lancashire

For Lancashire, though, Shadab has channelled the original all-rounder in him. In five games, he has grabbed seven wickets while scoring 111 runs at a strike rate of 188.

"Obviously it is a great opportunity because the conditions are different and the dimensions they keep in the Blast, especially for bowlers, are quite difficult. I think if you play on such pitches and with such dimensions, you learn a lot as a bowler,” Shadab said while speaking on the sidelines of a recent Vitality Blast game.

He has come in to bat for Lancashire as low as No. 6 and No. 7. But these are not unfamiliar batting positions for Shadab, though they do explain the reason behind his modest average. The Pakistan all-rounder acknowledges that too, but his impressive strike rate keeps him hopeful of further improvement.

"My bowling has been consistent and economical. As for batting, I need to be a bit more consistent. But obviously, when you bat at that number, it is a little difficult to be consistent. Whenever I get the opportunity, I try to stay consistent, and things are going well with the ball. I will try to improve further and keep developing as a bowler."

'Not surprised' by Babar's return as captain

Shadab Khan is not a regular in red-ball cricket. In fact, he has only six Test caps to his name, the last of which came in 2020. While Pakistan will take on the West Indies in a two-Test series later this month, Shadab will be leading the Desert Vipers in the Global Super League (GSL).

When asked about Pakistan's recent changes to the Test setup, including Babar Azam's return as captain, Shadab said he was not surprised, considering Babar's previous record in the role.

"I don't think I am surprised. Babar previously gave good performances as captain, and I just watched his interview, where he himself was saying that while some things went well, some things did not, and he has learned from that. Hopefully, the things he could not do as well before, he will do better now."