Pakistan Test captain Babar Azam has been ruled out of the first Test against England due to a right-hand injury, with Salman Ali Agha set to captain the side in his absence. Pakistan head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed confirmed the development on Tuesday.
Babar sustained the injury after being struck on his right hand during Pakistan’s warm-up match against a County Select XI. It is the same hand that was previously injured during the second Test against the West Indies earlier this month.
The Pakistan captain has continued to experience pain and was assessed by the team’s medical staff. The management is hopeful that he will recover in time to return for the second Test.
Salman Ali Agha to captain Pakistan
With Babar unavailable, Salman Ali Agha will lead Pakistan in a Test match for the first time.
Sarfaraz Ahmed confirmed that Salman will take over the captaincy for the opening Test, while Shan Masood has been declared fit and is available for selection.
The first Test of the three-match series is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, August 19, at Headingley in Leeds.
Babar’s absence is a significant setback for Pakistan, particularly given his recent return to Test captaincy and his importance to the team’s batting lineup.
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