Pakistan hopeful of Babar Azam's return at Lord's for second England test

Pakistan captain Babar Azam is showing positive signs of recovery from a finger injury and could be available for the second test against England at Lord's. Bowling coach Umar Gul stated on Tuesday that Azam successfully completed a training session, facing both fast bowlers and spinners, fueling hopes for his return to the lineup.

Azam sustained the injury during the West Indies series and aggravated it during Pakistan's warm-up match at Beckenham. Consequently, he was forced to miss the first test at Headingley, where England secured a dominant victory by an innings and 103 runs. His absence was keenly felt, particularly after a significant batting collapse that saw Pakistan bowled out twice in under 86 overs.

"Babar batted in the nets, faced fast bowlers, spinners and throwdowns," Gul told reporters. "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." The coach's comments suggest a significant step forward in Azam's rehabilitation process.

Azam's potential return would be a timely boost for the Pakistani team, which struggled significantly with the bat in the first test. He was Pakistan's leading run-scorer in the preceding series against the West Indies, demonstrating his crucial role in the batting order. England currently leads the three-match series 1-0, with the second test scheduled to commence on Thursday.

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Babar batted in the nets, faced fast bowlers, spinners and throwdowns. 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.