Babar Azam's Test Fate: A Last-Minute Decision Looms

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-08-18

Babar Azam's spot in Pakistan's first Test against England is really up in the air right now. The team management is waiting until the very last minute to decide on his fitness, which, you know, makes sense given how important he is. He's been dealing with a finger injury on his right hand ever since the second Test against West Indies, and unfortunately, another knock during a warm-up match has made things even more uncertain. It's a tough situation for both Babar and the team. ### Lingering Injury Concerns This isn't Babar's first rodeo with this finger issue. He originally hurt it while batting against West Indies, and then it flared up again during Pakistan's practice match against a Professional County Club Select XI in Beckenham. He had to retire hurt after getting struck again and couldn't return to play for the rest of the game. Now, the Pakistan Cricket Board played it cool, calling his withdrawal a precautionary move rather than a serious setback. But honestly, it didn't give the selectors much to go on before the series opener, which is less than ideal. Pakistan landed in Leeds on Sunday and got their first training session in at Headingley on Monday. That's just two days before the Test kicks off, so time is really ticking. Babar did join the nets and faced some throwdowns, and from what folks saw, he didn't seem to be in any clear pain. However, his time at the crease was noticeably brief. The team management isn't saying whether he's in or out yet; they're holding off, waiting for more medical input before they finalize the starting XI. ### The Medical Panel's Crucial Call Coach Mohammad Abbas has confirmed that no final decision has been made about Babar's participation. He mentioned that the call will ultimately come down to the medical panel and the selection committee as match day gets closer. Abbas did note that Babar managed to complete some throwdowns and batting practice during the session, which is a good sign. But he really emphasized that the final word will depend on medical clearance, not just how he looked on the field. If Babar does have to sit this one out, Saud Shakeel and Awais Zafar are both strong contenders to step into the middle order and fill that crucial gap. ### Shakeel and Zafar Ready to Step Up It's worth remembering that Shakeel missed the entire West Indies series because of an injury. Zafar, on the other hand, made his debut in the second Test of that tour. Shakeel actually returned to form with a fantastic century in that Beckenham warm-up game, which really made him stand out as a likely inclusion anyway, regardless of Babar's fitness. His century, combined with Zafar's recent introduction to the Test setup, means Pakistan has two solid options ready to go if Babar is forced to miss the opener. It's always good to have depth, especially in these high-pressure situations. ### Masood's Recovery and Leadership Questions Meanwhile, there's some good news regarding Shan Masood's rehabilitation. It seems to be coming along quite nicely. Masood fractured a finger during the first Test against West Indies and, like Babar, missed the second match of that series. He sat out the Beckenham warm-up entirely, but he spent a longer stretch batting in the nets during Monday's session at Headingley. That's a strong indicator that his recovery is right on track. Abbas said Masood went through the full training session and looked really sharp. However, his final involvement will also depend on medical assessment closer to the match, just like Babar. It's interesting to note that Babar took over the Test captaincy from Masood at the start of the West Indies series. So, if Babar continues to be absent, it'll leave a leadership question hanging in the air. Salman Agha, Pakistan's T20I captain, actually led the side during the Beckenham fixture when Babar was out, but he hasn't yet captained the Test team. With the series opener just two days away, Pakistan's team composition is heavily relying on what the medical panel decides in the next few hours. It's a nail-biting wait for sure!