The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is likely to appoint middle-order batsman Asad Shafiq as vice- captain of the Test side in a bid to groom him for future captaincy duties in the longest format of the game.

According to Daily Express, the board has taken this decision in order to ensure that Shafiq has enough captaincy experience under his belt so that he is prepared to take over the job in the future — if and when required.

Naming Shafiq as captain of Pakistan A squad for the four-day first class game against Australia is also part of the same strategy.

Shafiq’s appointment is also in line with PCB’s policy of reducing workload of skipper Sarfraz Ahmed. In the past, due to absence of adequate replacements, PCB was unable to rest Sarfraz but it seems that Shafiq will gradually be prepared for that role.

In domestic cricket, Shafiq has shown that he has decent leadership ability as Karachi Whites won the Regional One-Day Cup under his captaincy earlier this year.

PCB is also pondering over handing captaincy duties to all-rounder Shoaib Malik during some of the upcoming T20Is against Australia and New Zealand.