Babar Azam Develops Fever Ahead of Third Test
Pakistan captain Babar Azam has suffered a fever ahead of the third Test against England at Edgbaston, which is scheduled for September 9-13. The development raises the possibility of yet another forced adjustment for a touring party that has already been severely disturbed throughout the series.
On Wednesday, September 2, team manager Naveed Akram Cheema confirmed the issue, saying there is no reason to panic and that a rapid recovery is predicted. Medical surveillance is underway, but Babar Azam availability for the Edgbaston Test has not been assured.
The revelation, initially reported by Geo revelation, comes at a difficult moment for Pakistani cricket. Following a 194-run defeat in the second Test at Lord’s, the PCB called up seven players from the touring group.
Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were replaced as Test head coaches, with Mike Hesson taking over all-format coaching. Meanwhile, Misbah-ul-Haq has submitted his resignation as national selector.
How has Babar Azam fared in this series?
In the series’ only match, Babar Azam batting returns have been modest. At Lord’s, he scored only 8 in the first innings before succumbing to a Jofra Archer delivery aimed at his body in the second, adding only 6. Those scores did little to alleviate the pressure on a skipper whose Test form has long been a source of concern.
His most recent Test century was 161 against New Zealand in December 2022, which left him without a three-figure score in the longest format for nearly four years.
Prior to this tour, Babar Azam had shown glimpses of development, scoring 193 runs in two Tests in the West Indies, including two half-centuries, in a 1-1 series. That run of form had fuelled anticipation for the English assignment.
Babar Azam had already missed the first Test of this series due to injury, thus Salman Ali Agha led the side in his place. He returned for the Lord’s match, but was unable to make an impact before Pakistan’s crushing defeat.
Who could take over if Babar Azam misses the Edgbaston Test?
The scope of the adjustments implemented following Lord’s has considerably limited Pakistan’s possibilities. Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha were both recalled to Pakistan as part of the post-defeat reshuffle, removing two of the more experienced players from the available pool.
Salman demonstrated his ability to handle the captaincy job in the first Test, but his absence from the tour eliminates that possibility. If Babar is ruled out, Pakistan will have changed their touring group for the eighth time this series, reflecting the amount of the upheaval they have faced.
Cheema, the team’s manager, has publicly expressed confidence that Babar will recover in time. No replacement has been named, and the PCB has made no further statements regarding squad makeup or captaincy arrangements for the third Test.
