Babar Azam injures finger ahead of England Test series

Pakistan's preparations for the upcoming three-Test series against England have been disrupted by an injury to their premier batsman, Babar Azam. During a practice match against Hampshire, Babar was struck on the right glove by a rising delivery from teenage seamer Manny Lumsden. He immediately showed signs of discomfort, wringing his hand, and was subsequently removed from the game as a precautionary measure. Team insiders confirmed that there was no sign of a fracture, but the injury was to the same middle finger that Babar had damaged during Pakistan's recent Test victory over the West Indies in Trinidad. That eight-wicket win, which took place earlier this month, was Pakistan's first overseas Test victory in three years, ending a sequence of eight straight defeats. Babar is expected to rejoin the team for nets at Headingley on Monday, 48 hours before the first Test begins.

The injury comes amid a period of significant change for Pakistan cricket. The team has a new captain, an interim coach, and several players who had not previously featured in 2026 have been recalled. This mirrors the situation in the England camp, where the Bazball era ended with the departures of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. England are also dealing with a leadership transition, with Joe Root and Marcus Trescothick forming a temporary alliance until incoming Test coach Stephen Fleming takes up his role. Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, and Sam Cook have returned to the England squad for the Leeds Test.

Pakistan's recent captaincy change has been particularly awkward. Shan Masood was axed as captain after three years in charge but retained in the playing XI under Babar. Masood had replaced Babar as captain in 2023, partly due to his statesmanlike demeanour. In the first Test of the recent series against the West Indies, Masood scored a first-innings hundred but the match ended in defeat, and he suffered a finger injury that kept him out of the second Test. Former captain Rashid Latif has suggested that Babar and Masood could develop a novel relationship, with Babar focusing on lifting Pakistan's Test cricket out of the doldrums. Pakistan currently languish in eighth place in the World Test Championship standings, one place below England, and have won only one of their previous eight series - that victory came against Stokes' side in the autumn of 2024.

There is also speculation about changes in the Twenty20 setup, with talk of Salman Ali Agha making way. In Pakistani cricket circles, there is always someone ready to take your job, and the same applies to coaches. Sarfaraz Ahmed leads this tour, but only after surviving calls for his head following the 2-0 defeat to Bangladesh. The upcoming series against England is expected to be packed with drama, given the off-field maelstrom that often surrounds Pakistan cricket. The first Test is scheduled to begin at Headingley on Wednesday, and Pakistan will be hoping that Babar's injury is not serious enough to keep him out of the match.