"To silence that attitude, I would definitely make Shan Masood the captain" - Salman Butt feels Pakistan need a change in leadership
Salman Butt opined that Pakistan should consider making Shan Masood the captain for all three formats going forward. He feels that the Men in Green needs a leadership change.
Butt suggested that the current leadership group has a lot of attitude, despite their dismal performances. Stating that Masood seems the ideal candidate for the role, the former cricketer said on his YouTube channel:
"There is some fuss because of which despite having skill, players haven't been able to execute. There is someone who doesn't have any strategy for planning, but still has a lot of attitude. To silence that attitude, I would definitely make Shan Masood the captain."
It is worth mentioning that Shan Masood was appointed as Pakistan Test captain after Babar Azam relinquished captaincy across formats after the team's group-stage exit at the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, Babar was reinstated as the white-ball skipper ahead of the recently concluded 2024 T20 World Cup.
Masood's stint didn't have a positive start. Under his leadership, Pakistan suffered a 3-0 whitewash to Australia in an away-from-home series.
"You need someone who stands higher than all these groups and friendships" - Salman Butt on why Shan Masood should lead Pakistan across formats
Salman Butt added that Pakistan have constantly persisted with a captain who has just backed players from his inner circle. He reckoned that someone like Shan Masood, who won't indulge in groupism, needed to be at the helm of the national team.
Emphasizing that Masood should replace Babar Azam as the captain of the white-ball teams, at least for the time being, the 39-year-old remarked:
"I would do that for some time at least. Something like that needs to be done for some time. Pakistan have constantly backed certain players who have their own inner circles. So, you need someone who stands higher than all these groups and friendships."
The Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) decision to reinstate Babar Azam as the captain of the white-ball teams has yet to produce positive results. The side failed to qualify for the Super 8 round of the 2024 T20 World Cup after suffering losses to India and the United States of America (USA) in the group stage.