Pakistan captain Babar Azam out of first Test against England

Pakistan's captain Babar Azam will miss the first Test against England at Headingley, with Salman Ali Agha stepping up as the new skipper. Azam is sidelined due to an injury to his right hand, which he suffered during a warm-up game against a County Select XI. The same hand was also affected during the second Test against the West Indies earlier this month.

Although Azam was cleared of a broken middle finger and played in the Headingley nets on Monday, he has not been deemed fit to lead the team in the crucial match. Pakistan coach Sarfaraz Ahmed revealed that Azam's finger has a slight swelling and hopes he will be available for the second Test. This absence is a significant setback for Pakistan, who are aiming to secure a Test series win in England for the first time in 30 years.

Azam, a key batsman with nine Test centuries and a career average of 43.68, will be replaced by Saul Shakeel, who missed the recent West Indies series. Although Pakistan managed to win their last two Tests against England on home soil in 2024, the conditions in Leeds are expected to be vastly different, particularly with the spin-friendly pitches in Multan and Rawalpindi.