Babar Azam ruled out of Headingley Test vs England, Pakistan dealt major setback
Pakistan have suffered a major setback ahead of the first Test against England at Headingley, with captain Babar Azam ruled out of the series opener due to a right-hand injury. The three-Test series begins on Wednesday, with Babar’s absence leaving Pakistan without one of their most experienced batters for a challenging assignment in English conditions.
Pakistan head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed confirmed that Babar will miss the first Test, with Salman Ali Agha taking over as captain. Babar has continued to experience pain in the middle finger of his right hand after being struck during Pakistan’s warm-up match against a Professional County Club Select XI at Beckenham.
“Pakistan captain Babar Azam is unavailable for the first Test match. Salman Agha will be the captain for the first Test,” Sarfaraz said.
Babar’s absence is currently limited to the Headingley Test. Sarfaraz confirmed that there is no fracture, with the medical team continuing to monitor the injury.
“The medical team is assessing Babar. He has quite a bit of pain in the finger. There are still a few days to go before the second Test. Hopefully, he will recover by then,” Sarfaraz said.
SALMAN AGHA STEPS UP FOR PAKISTAN
Salman Agha will now shoulder the responsibility of leading Pakistan in Test cricket at a crucial stage of the tour. While this will be his first Test as captain, he already has leadership experience at international level, having captained Pakistan in T20Is.
The 32-year-old all-rounder made his Test debut in 2022 and has established himself as an important middle-order batter and off-spinner. He also brings considerable first-class experience, having begun his red-ball career in 2013.
Shan Masood, meanwhile, has recovered from the finger injury he suffered during the first Test against the West Indies. He was struck on the left index finger by Jayden Seales while scoring his century in Trinidad, forcing him to miss the second Test. He was also absent from Pakistan’s warm-up game in Beckenham.
Pakistan’s immediate challenge will be to fill the considerable batting void created by Babar’s absence. The former captain had recently returned to the ICC Test top 10 following his performances against the West Indies, scoring 88 in the first Test and an unbeaten 24 in the successful chase in the second.
Pakistan will hope Babar makes a swift recovery and returns for the second Test. For now, however, Salman faces the task of guiding the side through the opening contest of a demanding England tour.
– Ends
