Pakistan captain Babar Azam may find himself in the playing 11 for the second Test against England at Lord’s on August 27 following the epic defeat in the series opener.
Babar had to pull out of the first Test as he got injured in a practice session. Now he’s in contention to return though, depending on fitness clearance.
The playing XI will also be decided by the team management once they have taken into account area and weather conditions at Lord’s.
If Babar is declared fit, Azaan Owais might be removed from the team to make place for the experienced batsman.
Wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan is also believed to be considered for a rest in the second Test, as Pakistan consider changes to their combination.
Read more: England seal dominant innings victory over Pakistan at Headingley
Maybe the pitch will make a difference in Pakistan’s selection. With a dry day and good spin conditions the visitors may choose to play two specialist spinners.
Ubaid Shah, the fast bowler, is also being eyed up for the playing XI.
Pakistan have a must-win Test match against England at Lord’s following an embarrassing loss in the opener by an innings, which has given England a 1-0 advantage in the three-match series.
The loss has put further pressure on the visitors, and now they have to perform really well in the second Test to keep the series alive and also keep themselves in the WTC championship.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, has overtaken Pakistan in the Test rankings, further adding to the need for Pakistan to win the game at Lord’s.
Also read: Babar Azam eyes return as Pakistan weigh changes for the next test