After a dose of white-ball action for months and months, Test cricket is now in full flow for several teams. All four Asian teams are in action right now.
Pakistan are on a tour of England; India are touring Sri Lanka, while Bangladesh have already made history by beating Australia in the first Test of the two-match Test series.
Pakistan, though, took the field without their captain, Babar Azam, in the ENG vs PAK 1st Test in Leeds.
England have moved on from the Bazball days of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, with Joe Root now back at the helm, while Marcus Trescothick serves as the interim coach, keeping the coach’s seat warm for Stephen Fleming.
The three-match ENG vs PAK Test series began on August 19 at Headingley in Leeds, with Root winning the toss and electing to bowl first. For Pakistan, it was Salman Agha who stepped up as the interim skipper as regular captain Babar missed out.
ENG vs PAK: Why Is Babar Azam Not Playing 1st Test Against England In Leeds?
Babar was ruled out of the 1st Test against England as he is still not completely recovered from a right hand injury. Babar sustained a blow on his right hand in Pakistan’s warm-up game in Beckenham, and he had earlier copped an injury on the same hand during the 2nd Test match against West Indies a couple of weeks ago.
Salman Ali Agha is the stand-in captain in Leeds, leading Pakistan for the first time in his Test career.
Babar was the Player of the Series in the West Indies for being the highest scorer of the two-Test series that ended in a 1-1 draw.
Pakistan coach Sarfaraz Ahmed had confirmed that Babar didn’t suffer a fracture, hoping that he is fit in time for the second Test, which is scheduled to be played at Lord’s from August 27.
“The medical team is assessing Babar. He has quite a bit of pain in the finger. There are still a few days to go before the second Test. Hopefully, he will recover by then,” Sarfaraz said.
While Babar missed out, Pakistan received a boost as former captain and senior batsman Shan Masood was declared fit for the ENG vs PAK 1st Test after missing the last Test in the West Indies and the warm-up match in Beckenham owing to a finger fracture.
Abdullah Shafique took the No. 4 spot of Babar’s while Masood returned to his established No. 3 position.
Apart from Babar being unavailable, Pakistan dropped Awais Zafar, Sajid Khan, and Ubaid Shah from the 2nd Test against West Indies, and in came Masood, Saud Shakeel, Khurram Shahzad, and Mohammad Abbas.
As for England, Jacob Bethell is missing the Pakistan series due to a knee injury. Jordan Cox, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Robinson, and Jofra Archer were named in the XI. England fielded a four-man pace attack comprising Robinson, Archer, Josh Tongue, and Gus Atkinson, with Root and Lawrence providing part-time spin alternatives.
ENG vs PAK: Have Pakistan won a Test series in England?
Pakistan have won a Test series in England three times: 1987 (won 5-match series by 1-0); 1992 (won 5-match series by 2-1); and 1996 (won 3-match series by 2-0).
However, since their last series triumph in 1996, Pakistan have won only 5 out of 20 Tests against England in England.
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