Pakistan stand-in captain Salman Ali Agha is hopeful that Babar Azam will return for the second Test against England at Lord’s, a comeback that could not come at a better time for the struggling visitors.
Pakistan were completely outplayed in the opening Test at Headingley, losing by an innings and 103 runs on Friday. With their batting failing twice against England’s seam attack, Babar’s possible return has given the team something to look forward to before the second Test begins on August 27.
Salman Agha Hopes Babar Will Return at Lord’s
Speaking after the heavy defeat in Leeds, Salman said Pakistan would assess the situation after reaching London. He made it clear that the team would be happy to have Babar back in the side.
“We will sit down, we’ll go to London and sit down, and hopefully Babar comes back, and that will be a big boost for us,” Salman said after the first Test.
That statement offers some hope for Pakistan, although Babar’s return has not been officially confirmed yet. The team management will have to be satisfied with his fitness before making a final call.
The second Test will be played at Lord’s from August 27, giving Babar a few more days to recover and prove that he is ready to bat in a demanding Test match.
How Babar Picked Up the Injury
Babar was ruled out of the opening Test after suffering an injury to the middle finger of his right hand. He had already hurt the same hand during Pakistan’s recent Test series against the West Indies before taking another blow during a practice match in Beckenham.
He was struck while batting against a County Select XI and left the field as a precaution. Pakistan coach Sarfaraz Ahmed later confirmed that the finger was not broken, but Babar was still experiencing pain. The hope at that stage was that the problem would settle in time for the second Test. His absence meant Salman took charge at Headingley, becoming Pakistan’s 36th Test captain.
Pakistan’s Batting Fell Apart at Headingley
Babar’s absence was felt most strongly with the bat. Pakistan were dismissed for 171 in their first innings and then managed only 135 in the second.
England, meanwhile, posted 409 and took a commanding 238-run first-innings lead. Josh Tongue and Ollie Robinson caused most of the damage, taking eight wickets each across the match.
Abdullah Shafique was one of the few Pakistan batters to make a strong contribution in the first innings, scoring 61. Imam-ul-Haq also made 42, but there was little support around them. In the second innings, Pakistan struggled even more as England’s bowlers kept finding ways through the batting order.
The collapse showed that Pakistan need more than one player to turn things around. Still, Babar’s presence could bring greater stability to a top order that struggled to cope with England’s pace and movement.
Babar Could Add Experience and Confidence
Babar is one of Pakistan’s most experienced Test batters and has scored nine centuries in 64 Test matches. His experience could be particularly valuable at Lord’s, where Pakistan will need to deal with another challenging English attack.
His return would also give the dressing room a familiar leader after Salman handled the captaincy in Leeds. Salman has already said he would be happy to hand the captaincy back, but the main priority will be Babar’s fitness rather than leadership.
There is also a practical issue for Pakistan. Babar has not played a Test match on this tour yet, so bringing him straight back into the XI after a hand injury would carry some risk. The team will need to judge whether he is ready to face a full Test workload.
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Lord’s Test Becomes a Must-Win Game
England now lead the three-match series 1-0 after their dominant win at Headingley. The second Test at Lord’s therefore becomes extremely important for Pakistan if they want to keep the series alive.
A Babar return would strengthen the batting, but Pakistan cannot expect him to solve every problem on his own. The rest of the top and middle order must also show better judgement against England’s fast bowlers.
The first Test exposed several weaknesses, particularly Pakistan’s inability to build long partnerships. If Babar is fit enough to play, his experience can help settle the batting order, but the players around him will have to make the most of that support.
