Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batsman, Mohammad Rizwan, is likely to be named as the national team’s Test captain, replacing current skipper Azhar Ali, according to ESPNcricinfo.

Azhar replaced wicketkeeper-batsman, Sarfaraz Ahmed, as the captain in October last year but it seems that his stint won’t last for long as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is keen on giving the Test reins to Rizwan. The 28-year-old could take charge of the side for the upcoming tour of New Zealand in December.

The report states that the PCB Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Wasim Khan, has already met Azhar Ali, as part of the annual appraisal, but the final decision on the matter will be taken after the latter’s meeting with PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani.

Azhar’s batting form has been poor in the last couple of years while he has also faced criticism over his style of captaincy.   

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Azhar’s captaincy was severely criticised by former Pakistan fast-bowler Wasim Akram, who is also a member of PCB’s Cricket Committee, when Pakistan lost the first Test against England despite being in a winning position.

"It will hurt the Pakistan team and the cricket lovers in Pakistan," Akram had said on Sky Sports. "Winning and losing is part of cricket, but I think our captain missed a trick quite a few times in this game, as far as his leadership is concerned."

Meanwhile, Rizwan impressed one and all with his performances during the recent tour of England and also led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the title in the recently concluded National T20 Cup. He was also touted as Pakistan’s future captain by former wicketkeeper-batsman Rashid Latif, recently.

“If we are looking for a future captain then Rizwan has the ability. He has led Pakistan-A team as well. If the team management are playing him in every format, then they might be thinking of him as an option to lead, if something happens in future," Latif said on his YouTube show Caught Behind.