Overview
- Pakistan confirmed on Tuesday that Babar Azam will not play the first Test at Headingley after a right‑hand injury was aggravated in a warm‑up match in Beckenham.
- Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed named Salman Ali Agha as stand‑in captain for the match, marking Agha’s first time leading Pakistan in a Test.
- Babar’s setback followed an earlier hand blow in the West Indies and was managed on medical advice, with the PCB prioritising rest over risking the captain at Headingley.
- Selectors are weighing middle‑order replacements such as Saud Shakeel and Awais Zafar while Shan Masood has returned to training and is available pending final clearance.
- The absence removes Pakistan’s most experienced Test batter from the opener and could push the team toward a pace‑heavy XI at Headingley, with hope expressed that Babar may be fit for the second Test at Lord’s.