Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, who led the team to victory in the 2017 Champions Trophy final against India, is on the verge of becoming the head coach of Pakistan's Test side. The role has been vacant for nearly five months, with Azhar Mahmood overseeing the team during the recent Test tour of South Africa. Sarfaraz is expected to take charge ahead of Pakistan's upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh in May. He is currently with the Pakistan Shaheens in the UAE, where they are engaged in T20 and one-day fixtures against the England Lions. An official confirmation from the board is anticipated shortly.
Sarfaraz's credentials as a coach were strengthened after he guided Pakistan's Under-19 side to an Asia Cup title. During his playing days, he featured in 54 Tests, amassing 3,031 runs with four centuries and 21 half-centuries. He led Pakistan in 13 of those matches, securing four victories, including a famous win at Lord's against England in 2018. His most recent Test appearance came against Australia in Perth in 2023.
Across white-ball formats, he represented Pakistan in 117 ODIs, scoring 2,315 runs with two hundreds and 11 fifties, and played 61 T20Is, compiling 818 runs. As captain, he achieved notable success, most prominently steering Pakistan to the 2017 Champions Trophy title. He also led the side at the 2019 ODI World Cup, where Pakistan narrowly missed out on a semi-final berth despite winning five of their nine league matches. In T20 internationals, he maintained an impressive win rate of 78.37 per cent as skipper.
But here's where it gets controversial... Some argue that Sarfaraz's coaching credentials are overstated, given his limited experience in the role. Others believe that his success as a player doesn't necessarily translate to coaching success. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
