Babar Azam ruled out of first Test vs England, Pakistan announce new captain

Pakistan captain Babar Azam has been ruled out of the first Test against England, owing to an injury to his right hand which he suffered during the warm-up clash against Professional County Club Select XI in Beckenham. He was forced to retire hurt and was later ruled out of the match. Since then, Babar has been kept under close observation. On the eve of the Leeds Test, the team management confirmed that the injury will keep the star batter out of the game.

In his absence, Salman Agha will lead the side. Head coach Sarfaraz Khan confirmed the development in the



pre-match press conference. 

“Pakistan captain Babar Azam is unavailable for the first Test match. Salman Agha will be the captain for the first Test,” Sarfaraz said. 

Notably, the 31-year-old took part in a short batting session at Headingley on Monday, but his limited time in the nets was not enough to clear him for the Test. The team management, however, waited for another day to assess his medical condition, but ultimately it was decided not to risk him at the moment, especially with two more games remaining in the series.