Pakistan captain Babar Azam has been officially ruled out of the first Test match against England at Headingley, which is scheduled to commence this Wednesday. In his absence, Salman Ali Agha will assume the role of captain for the opening fixture of the three-match series.
The 31-year-old batsman has been unable to recover from an injury to his right hand, sustained when he was struck by England Under-19 paceman Manny Lumsden during a warm-up game last week against a County Select XI. Following the impact, Azam promptly retired hurt in what a team spokesman initially described as a “precautionary measure.”
This injury involves the same hand that was struck during the second Test against the West Indies earlier this month. Although Azam participated in a brief net session at Headingley on Monday, medical staff determined he was not fit to lead the team. While scans have cleared him of a broken middle finger, the presence of persistent swelling has sidelined him for the start of the series.
Pakistan coach Sarfaraz Ahmed confirmed the development to reporters at Headingley on Tuesday, stating, “Babar Azam is not available, Salman will be captain for the first Test.” Regarding the prognosis, Ahmed added, “It’s not broken, there is a little bit of swelling on the finger. Hopefully he will be available for the second Test match.”
Azam’s absence represents a significant setback for Pakistan as they pursue their first Test series victory in England in 30 years. As one of the team’s premier batsmen, Azam brings a career average of 43.68 and nine Test centuries to the lineup. Saul Shakeel is expected to take his place in the playing XI, having missed the recent two-match series in the West Indies, which concluded in a 1-1 draw.
While Pakistan successfully defeated England in two home Tests during 2024 without Azam, the conditions in Leeds are expected to differ significantly from the spin-friendly pitches encountered in Multan and Rawalpindi. The team must now adjust to the challenging English environment without their primary leader and most experienced run-scorer. The report also notes that azam’s absence is a major blow to Pakistan as they begin their quest to win a Test series in England for the first time in 30 years given he is also one of their leading batsmen, with nine Test hundreds and a career aver.
Source: Gulf News
