Since Babar resigned from the position following Pakistan's disastrous performances in the Asia Cup and the 50-over World Cup last year, things have been tumultuous. Shaheen Shah Afridi took over as the Twenty20 captain, while Shan Masood became the team's Test captain.
Dawn has learned that the national selection committee, which was recently “reorganized” by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi, kept both parties in the dark while it deliberated over Babar's selection as the team's future captain before deciding on his name on Friday.
Babar has been offered the captaincy of the PCB in all three forms, but Dawn has heard from sources that the batter will make his own demands before taking the offer.
Due to Babar's return, Shan and Shaheen would only be able to lead their respective Test and T20 international teams for one series at a time. The stability of the Pakistani team may suffer as a result of the PCB's disregard for the players' stake in the outcome.
Many within the PCB feel, according to sources, that the team erred in not keeping Shaheen informed regarding captaincy and only telling the pacer after it decided to reinstate Babar.
"Since Shaheen and Babar haven't been on the same page for a few months, the decision to name Babar without consulting Shaheen could have an impact on the cohesiveness of the national team because the fast bowler has a lot of players."
Senior players Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim had lost favour with the selectors during the nearly three years that Babar led Pakistan as captain, and their prospects of being selected again were slim.
Both expressed their disapproval of Babar's captaincy style in an outspoken manner on national television.
But after recently announcing their retirement from international cricket, all-rounder Imad and bowler Amir were thrust back into the spotlight by Mohsin, and it is believed that both will be in Pakistan's squad for the T20 World Cup, which will take place in the United States and the West Indies in June. But with Babar leading the team, things may get complicated.
The sources continued, "...Babar Azam may not be happy with the expected selection of pacer Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Imad Wasim in the national team, after they had withdrawn their retirement from international cricket recently."
Following his appointment as the captain of Pakistan, Babar will also join the selection committee, which includes data analyst Bilal Afzal and four former Test players: Asad Shafiq, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Yousuf, and Abdul Razzaq.
The head coach of Pakistan, a position for which the PCB is also hiring, vacates the seat on the supposedly seven-member committee.
The PCB is seeking a separate coach for the Test and white-ball formats. Former South African batter Gary Kirsten and former Australian bowler Jason Gillespie are leading the race for the positions, according to the job posting on the PCB website's careers page.
Currently, the PCB is hosting a fitness training camp at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, Abbotabad, for up to 29 probables. The team is training for the forthcoming five-match T20 series against New Zealand at the camp.
Pakistan will go to Ireland and England in May following their hosting of the BlackCaps, and then they will fly to Dallas, Texas, to play the hosts in their inaugural Twenty20 World Cup match.
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