Babar Azam's Test Return Hangs on a Late Fitness Call—Here's What We Know

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Babar Azam's place in Pakistan's first Test against England hangs in the balance as the team waits on a late fitness call. A fresh finger injury has pushed his participation into doubt, with Shakeel and Zafar ready to step in.

Babar Azam's place in Pakistan's first Test against England is suddenly up in the air. The team management is waiting on a late fitness call, and the clock is ticking. The star batter has been nursing a finger injury on his right hand since the second Test against West Indies, and a fresh blow during a warm-up match has thrown his participation into serious doubt. ### Injury History Raises Fresh Concerns Babar first hurt his hand while batting against West Indies. The issue resurfaced during Pakistan's practice match against a Professional County Club Select XI in Beckenham. He retired hurt after being struck again and didn't return to the crease for the rest of the game. The Pakistan Cricket Board called it a precautionary step rather than a confirmed setback, but that left the selectors with precious little data heading into the series opener. Here's the timeline at a glance: - **Second Test vs West Indies**: Babar first injures his right hand. - **Warm-up match in Beckenham**: He's hit again and retires hurt. - **Monday training at Headingley**: He faces a short spell of throwdowns, showing no obvious pain, but his time at the crease is noticeably brief. Pakistan landed in Leeds on Sunday and held their first training session at Headingley on Monday—just two days before the Test begins. Babar joined the nets and looked comfortable enough during his short session, but the team management has stopped short of ruling him in or out. They're waiting on further medical input before finalizing the XI. ### The Decision Rests with the Medical Panel Coach Mohammad Abbas confirmed that no decision has been reached yet. The final call will rest with the medical panel and the selection committee, likely coming closer to match day. Abbas noted that Babar completed some throwdowns and batting practice during the session, but stressed that the final word will follow medical clearance rather than visible form. Should Babar sit out, Saud Shakeel and Awais Zafar are both likely to slot into the middle order. That's not a panic move—these are two ready-made options who've been waiting in the wings. ### Shakeel and Zafar Poised for Middle-Order Roles Shakeel missed the entire West Indies series through injury, while Zafar earned his debut in the second Test of that tour. Shakeel returned to form with a century in the Beckenham warm-up game—a performance that already marked him out as a likely inclusion regardless of Babar's fitness. His century, paired with Zafar's recent introduction to the setup, gives Pakistan two solid fallbacks if Babar is forced to sit out the opener. ### Shan Masood's Recovery Shows Positive Signs Meanwhile, Shan Masood's rehabilitation appears to be progressing well. Masood fractured a finger during the first Test against West Indies and subsequently missed the second match of that series. He sat out the Beckenham warm-up entirely but spent a longer stretch batting in the nets during Monday's session at Headingley—a sign that his recovery is on track. Abbas said Masood trained through the full session and looked sharp, adding that his final involvement will still depend on medical assessment closer to the match. Babar took over Test captaincy from Masood at the start of the West Indies series, and his continued absence would leave a leadership question unresolved. Salman Agha, Pakistan's T20I captain, led the side during the Beckenham fixture in Babar's absence but has yet to captain the Test team. ### What's Next for Pakistan? With the series opener just two days away, Pakistan's team combination now depends heavily on what the medical panel decides in the coming hours. The good news? They've got depth in the middle order and a captain-in-waiting who's already shown he can lead. The bad news? Losing a player of Babar's caliber right before a big series is never ideal, no matter how you spin it. For now, fans will be watching the news feed with one eye and the team sheet with the other. The next 48 hours could shape the entire series.

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