Pakistan’s Test team moves on without Shan

Mike Hesson has also taken over responsibility as Pakistan’s Test coach and has decided to rely on younger players. Shan Masood scored 95 runs in his last Test innings against England. Over the past two years, he has been Pakistan’s leading run-scorer.

Since January 2025, he has scored a total of 773 runs, the highest by any Pakistani batter during this period. Last year, Shan scored 397 runs in five matches at an average of approximately 40.

This year, he has scored 376 runs in six matches. Over the same two-year period, Babar Azam is second among Pakistani batters with 720 runs, while Mohammad Rizwan is third with 643 runs. At 37, Shan Masood has reportedly been left out of the team's future plans.

However, 36-year-old Mohammad Abbas has been selected, raising questions about the consistency of the age policy. Both players have been among the top performers. Last year, the PCB appointed Shan Masood as a consultant for International Cricket and Players' Affairs.

However, since he wanted to continue playing cricket, he stayed away from administrative responsibilities. Following the team's continued poor performances, Shan was also removed from the captaincy. Shan Masood is reportedly no longer in the good books of the selectors and coaching staff., during a meeting with PCB officials some time ago, Shan made certain comments criticising a few officials.

When those remarks came to their attention, the officials reportedly turned against the batter and dropped him at the first available opportunity. Shan is currently not playing in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy.