Pakistan cricket captain Babar Azam declared himself 90 percent fit during a Wednesday press conference at Lord’s, setting the stage for his return in the second Test against England beginning Thursday. Azam missed the series opener at Headingley due to a finger injury, during which England secured an innings and 103-run victory.
Babar Azam Confirms Fitness Ahead of Lord’s Test
Pakistan’s batting lineup is set to receive a significant reinforcement as captain Babar Azam prepares to return for the second match of the series against England at Lord’s. The skipper missed the opening Test at Headingley after being struck on the glove during a practice game at Beckenham, aggravating a finger injury initially sustained during the recent tour to the West Indies.
Speaking to reporters at a pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Babar addressed his physical readiness directly. Yes, 90% I’m fit for tomorrow’s match,
he stated, following intensive batting workouts over the preceding 48 hours.
His return comes at a critical juncture for the tourists. Pakistan struggled mightily with the bat in Leeds, bowled out for totals of 171 and 135 as England claimed an innings-and-103-run victory inside three days to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match campaign. Babar’s presence historically anchors the batting order; he maintains an average of 65.75 on English soil and 53.83 across 14 innings against England.
Net Sessions and Management Confidence at Lord’s
Pakistan bowling coach Umar Gul offered a positive assessment of the captain’s progress following a rigorous workout session at the home of cricket.
“Babar batted in the nets, faced fast bowlers, spinners and throwdowns,” Gul said. “We’re hopeful he will be available for the game and today he was looking good; he batted well in the nets. He had a full batting session.”
Umar Gul, Pakistan bowling coach, via Cricinfo
While Gul stopped short of a definitive official confirmation, team insiders view the captain’s inclusion as all but certain. Babar enters the fixture having finished as Pakistan’s leading run-scorer in the previous series against the West Indies, where he amassed 193 runs and contributed two half-centuries.
The return of the captain requires tactical adjustments at the top of the order. Azan Awais is expected to make way, with either Shan Masood or Abdullah Shafique shifting up to open while Babar reclaims his customary position at number four. Additional adjustments to the bowling attack are under consideration to inject more pace, with 20-year-old Ubaid Shah emerging as an option alongside incumbents Khurram Shahzad and Mohammad Ali, while left-arm spinner Ali Usman remains in contention following his maiden five-wicket haul.
Reflections on Headingley and the Road Ahead
Reflecting on the heavy defeat at Headingley, Babar acknowledged the team fell short of competitive standards while crediting the opposition’s dominant run of form. We’re not playing up to the mark, the way the England team is playing,
he observed during the media briefing. But after that, we sat together and discussed our mistakes. And we just forget those things and look forward to tomorrow’s match.
Bowling coach Gul emphasized that individual brilliance alone cannot rescue the side, pointing to the collective discipline required to dismiss an aggressive English lineup twice in a match. We’ll have to learn from the mistakes we made in the previous game. If you want to win a Test match, you have to perform in all departments. One can’t be carrying the other. But in these conditions, the responsibility lies more with the bowlers. Until you take 20 wickets, you can’t win a Test match,
Gul noted in his assessment of the team’s bowling workload.
For Babar, taking the field as captain at Lord’s represents a career milestone. He was reappointed to lead the Test side prior to the West Indies series, marking his first time captaining a Pakistan team in England since his initial appointment following the 2020 tour.
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