Pakistan captain Babar Azam will miss the first Test against England at Headingley, which starts Wednesday.
Salman Ali Agha will lead the side in his place.
Azam has not recovered from an injury to his right hand after England Under-19 paceman Manny Lumsden struck him during Pakistan’s warm-up game against a County Select XI last week. He retired hurt immediately, a move the team spokesman described as a “precautionary measure.”
The same hand that West Indies bowlers hit during the second Test earlier this month was injured again.
Azam batted briefly in the Headingley nets on Monday. Scans have cleared him of a broken middle finger, but selectors have not passed him as fit to captain the side in the opening match of the three-Test series.
“Babar Azam is not available, Salman will be captain for the first Test,” Pakistan coach Sarfaraz Ahmed told reporters at Headingley on Tuesday. “It’s not broken, there is a little bit of swelling on the finger. Hopefully he will be available for the second Test match.”
Azam’s absence deals a major blow to Pakistan as they chase their first Test series win in England in 30 years. He remains one of the side’s leading batsmen, with nine Test hundreds and a career average of 43.68.
Saud Shakeel looks set to replace Azam in the XI after missing Pakistan’s recent two-match series in the West Indies, which ended 1-1.
Pakistan won their two most recent Tests against England on home soil in 2024 without Azam in the side. Those matches were played on extremely spin-friendly surfaces in Multan and Rawalpindi, conditions that differ sharply from what Pakistan can expect in Leeds.
