Babar Azam, the captain of Pakistan, has a fever ahead of the third Test match against England at Edgbaston, which is set for September 9–13. A travelling party that has already experienced significant disruptions throughout this series may undergo yet another forced adjustment as a result of this development.
On Wednesday, September 2, team manager Naveed Akram Cheema indicated that there is no reason to fear and that a speedy recovery is anticipated. However, Babar’s availability for the Edgbaston Test has not been confirmed, as medical testing is still in progress.
The announcement, which was first made public by Geo News, coincides with a difficult period for Pakistani cricket. Seven players from the touring squad were called up by the PCB after a 194-run loss in the second Test at Lord’s. Mike Hesson is currently in charge of all-format coaching after Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were fired as Test head coaches. Misbah-ul-Haq has also offered to retire from his position as national selector.
What is Babar Azam’s performance in this series?
In the one game he has played in the series, Babar Azam batting returns have been few. He added just six at Lord’s after managing just eight in the first innings before being hit by a Jofra Archer pitch that was aiming at his body in the second. The captain’s Test form has been a constant source of concern, and those scores did little to allay the criticism.
He hasn’t scored three figures in the longest format in nearly four years, with his most recent Test century being a knock of 161 against New Zealand in December 2022. Prior to this tour, there had been indications of improvement: in a series that finished 1-1, Babar Azam scored 193 runs in two Test matches in the West Indies, including two half-centuries. Before the English assignment, that sequence of results had inspired hope.
Salman Ali Agha led the team in Babar Azam place after he was injured and missed the first Test of this series. He came back for the Lord’s match, but before Pakistan’s crushing loss, he was unable to contribute significantly.
In the event that Babar Azam misses the Edgbaston Test, who might fill in?
The extent of the modifications made since Lord’s has severely limited Pakistan’s possibilities. As part of the post-defeat reorganisation, Salman Ali Agha and Muhammad Rizwan were both called back to Pakistan, eliminating two of the more senior players from the pool.
Although Salman shown during the first Test that he could manage the captaincy role, that option is now closed due to his departure from the tour. In the event that Babar is sidelined, Pakistan would have made eight changes to their touring team in this series, which is indicative of the level of disruption they have experienced.
With the hope that Babar will recover in time, team manager Cheema has publicly maintained a composed attitude. The PCB has not released any additional information regarding the composition of the squad or the captaincy arrangement for the third Test, nor has it named a substitute.
