RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Test head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed has thrown his weight behind Shan Masood after the left-hander’s removal as captain, expressing confidence that the senior batter will continue to play a key role as the national side embarks on a demanding tour of the West Indies and England.

Speaking at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Sunday after the conclusion of the team’s pre-departure training camp, Sarfaraz said Shan had responded positively to losing the captaincy and remained fully committed to the team’s cause.

“I spoke to Shan Masood and his confidence is high,” Sarfaraz told reporters. “He prepared well, although he had a slight hamstring niggle and had to rest for about a week. But his attitude throughout the camp was excellent. Shan is a senior player and a sensible cricketer. He understands how to deal with these situations and will continue to contribute as a player just as he did as captain.”

Shan’s nearly three-year stint as Test captain ended after Pakistan’s disappointing home series defeat to Bangladesh in May, with the Pakistan Cricket Board restoring Babar Azam as skipper ahead of two Tests in the Caribbean and a subsequent tour of England.

Sarfaraz congratulated Babar on reclaiming the leadership, saying the experienced batter had already proven his credentials as Pakistan captain.

“Babar has led Pakistan before and brings valuable experience. We all expect things to improve under his leadership,” he said.

Pakistan leave for the Caribbean after completing more than a month of preparations, comprising an extended camp in Lahore followed by a three-day camp in Rawalpindi.

“Our preparation has been excellent,” Sarfaraz said. “We held a month-long camp in Lahore, gave the boys a short break and then trained again here. The humidity in the West Indies will be similar to what we experienced in Lahore, although it may be slightly warmer. We have prepared accordingly and hope the hard work translates into good results.”

The former Pakistan captain said the coaching staff had tailored the preparations to match Caribbean conditions, with practice sessions conducted on both grassy and spin-friendly surfaces.

“We selected the squad keeping the conditions in mind. We prepared different types of pitches here and the players practised on both. We also have a four-day practice match in Port of Spain before the Test series, so the players should have enough time to acclimatise.”

Pakistan have struggled in the longest format recently, losing 12 of their last 16 Tests, including the Bangladesh series that marked Sarfaraz’s first assignment as head coach. However, he insisted the squad had worked extensively to address shortcomings.

“Our recent results were disappointing, but the players have worked extremely hard over the past month,” he said. “We held one-to-one discussions with them and identified the areas that needed improvement. The camp was conducted in demanding conditions and the boys put in a lot of effort. We believe that hard work will pay off.”

Sarfaraz also welcomed the continued inclusion of performers from the domestic circuit, naming Azan Awais, Abdullah Fazal, Awais Zafar and Ali Usman among the young players who had earned opportunities through consistent performances.

“It is encouraging that domestic performers are getting consistent chances,” he said. “These youngsters have worked very hard and whenever they get opportunities, I am confident they will show their talent.”

Despite describing both the West Indies and England tours as challenging, particularly the latter because of the conditions and the Duke ball, Sarfaraz said Pakistan would travel with ambitious targets.

“Our aim is to win the series,” he declared. “We have built good momentum through our preparation and have a balanced mix of youth and experience. We will trust the hard work we have put in, stay focused and give our best. The results are in God’s hands.”

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2026