He has been in and out of the setup and again finds a new role as “acting head coach”.
Pakistan have appointed Azhar Mahmood as their interim coach in Test cricket. He has been in and out of the setup and again finds a new role as “acting head coach”, where he will be at the helm for the upcoming home series against South Africa and Sri Lanka.
Mahmood had previously acted as an assistant coach across formats last year and will remain acting head coach till the end of his contract in April 2026. He has played 143 ODIs and 21 Tests in his international career spanning ten years, and he ended with 162 wickets and three centuries.
Azhar brings ample experience in red-ball cricket, as he won two County Championships with Surrey, which was also a reason why he was chosen as Pakistan’s red-ball cricket coach. The PCB issued a statement, highlighting Azhar’s achievements and showing trust in his coaching methods.
“A seasoned cricketing mind, Azhar Mahmood steps into the role with an impressive portfolio of experience. His deep knowledge of the game, combined with hands-on international exposure and proven success in the English county circuit, make him exceptionally well-suited for this position.”
Pakistan didn’t have a permanent Test head coach after Jason Gillespie resigned in December 2024 and served the team for only six months. Hence, Aqib Javed was announced as an interim head coach in the longest format for the next two assignments, but Pakistan couldn’t continue the same success they found against England.
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Under him, Pakistan lost the two-match Test series 2-0 in South Africa before drawing against the West Indies 1-1 at home, and his results were not satisfactory. Hence, a change was imminent, as has often been the case in Pakistan cricket, and Azhar arrived on the scene again, this time as head coach.
Pakistan would hope for a change in results after mediocre performances in the previous two Test rubbers, and Azhar will have his task cut out straight away. They will face two quality sides in their latest assignment, and while they will have a home advantage, Pakistan’s home record has not been too dominant lately, even if they won the series against England.
Pakistan would also want to settle on one head coach after too many shuffles in the coaching department in the last two years, and Azhar should get a long run before making a call on whether to continue with him. They have often hoped for instant results, with new coaches being appointed soon after the team endured a lean patch, while internal disputes between players and coaches also led to constant changes in the coaching and leadership department.
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