New Delhi. In a major strategic change in Pakistan cricket, former Champions Trophy winning captain Sarfaraz Ahmed can now be seen in the new role of ‘Head Coach’. According to sources, PCB is fully ready to hand over the command of the Test team to him, the official announcement of which is going to be made soon. Sarfaraz, who recently served as a mentor to the Under-19 team, can take over from the Test series against Bangladesh in May. Sarfaraz, known for his aggression and intelligence on the field, is expected to breathe new life into the performance and discipline of the Pakistani team in the important cycle of the World Test Championship 2027.
Pakistan recently won the Under-19 Asia Cup under the mentorship of 38-year-old Sarfaraz Ahmed. Sarfaraz will now use his strategic acumen for the senior Test team. This post was lying vacant since October 2025 and Azhar Mahmood was looking after the work as interim coach. Sarfaraz’s first big test will be the two-match Test series against Bangladesh in May, which is an important part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2027 cycle.
Sarfaraz Ahmed can be made the head coach of the Test team.
The ‘Sultan’ of captaincy is now in the role of mastermind.
Sarfaraz’s record testifies to his experience. He led Pakistan to a historic victory over India in the Champions Trophy final in 2017. His captaincy record can impress any legend.
Champions Trophy: Historic title with 70% win rate.
T20 International : Won 29 out of 37 matches as captain (78.37% win rate).
Test Experience: Scored 3,031 runs in 54 Test matches, which included 4 centuries and 21 half-centuries.
Even though Sarfaraz played his last Test against Australia in Perth in 2023, his passion for the game is still the same. Currently, he is working with ‘Pakistan Smarts’ in UAE against England Lions, which is further honing his coaching abilities.
Major reshuffle in ODI team: Babar-Sam out, Farhan in
On one hand, Sarfaraz is preparing to take over as coach, while on the other hand, the selectors have conducted ‘surgical strike’ in the ODI team. Star batsman Babar Azam and young all-rounder Sam Ayub have been shown the door from the ODI team selected for the Bangladesh tour. Instead, Sahibzada Farhan has been included in the team, who surprised everyone with his performance in the T20 World Cup 2026. In this 15-member team captained by Shaheen Shah Afridi, 6 new players have got a chance along with Farhan, which is an indication that Pakistan is now preparing the team of the future.
Will Sarfaraz be able to change the fortunes of Test?
Pakistan’s Test team has been struggling for some time. In such a situation, a player like Sarfaraz, who is known for his aggression on the field and running the game from behind the wicket, can inject new energy into the dressing room. The series against Bangladesh (First Test: 8 May, Second Test: 16 May) can decide the direction of his coaching career.