Babar Azam Fever: Azam Test At Edgbaston Under a Cloud

Just days before the Azam Test at Edgbaston, Pakistan’s captain is running a fever. Team manager Naveed Akram Cheema confirmed Babar Azam informed him of the illness ahead of the third Test against England, which begins September 9, 2026. Cheema was quick to downplay the situation, insisting there was “no need to panic” and that the skipper was expected to recover soon.

For a side already bleeding changes, this is the last headline they wanted. > Cheema said Babar informed him about the fever, adding that there was no need to panic and the captain was expected to recover soon. No other news line mattered in the Pakistan camp on Tuesday. The timing is brutal. Pakistan arrive at Edgbaston having suffered back-to-back heavy losses to England, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has responded with sweeping squad and coaching changes that have left the dressing room in visible turmoil.

Azam Test: The Fevers and the Fallout

The illness adds a layer of uncertainty to an already fractured tour. Selection meetings that should be about combinations are now being held with one eye on a thermometer.

Babar’s presence is not just about runs — it is about stability in a side that has seen its leadership, coaching staff, and personnel all churned within a single series. Here’s the thing: the PCB’s recent decisions were never going to be smooth.

Seven players were released from the squad, including Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad. That list reads like a core group dismantled mid-series.

The board has effectively hit reset, and the new faces carry a burden they did not create.

The Eighth Change Question

Pakistan have already made seven changes to their touring group. If Babar’s fever rules him out, the third Test would represent an eighth — a staggering number for a side fighting to avoid a whitewash.

The updated squad features a fresh look: Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Muhammad Imran Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori, Razaullah, Saad Baig, Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, and Ubaid Shah. Several names are untested at this level.

Throwing one of them into an Ashes-style cauldron at Edgbaston, with the series already gone, is a gamble dressed as an opportunity.

Babar’s fitness will be monitored right up to the toss. Cheema’s calm tone suggests the fever is minor, but virus-like symptoms can linger. The management expects a recovery, yet they have also learned this fortnight that expectations and reality rarely align. Full coverage via BBC Sport Cricket.

For a perspective on how quickly fortunes shift in this format, look at how the Australia England Ashes narrative dominated July, while Ricky Ponting’s England links have been a topic of constant speculation. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s own soap opera keeps producing new episodes.

What This Means for Pakistan

An eighth change carries a deeper signal than a missing player. It tells the dressing room that no position is safe. It tells the opposition that Pakistan are improvising. And it tells the captain — fever or no fever — that he walks into a cauldron of expectation with a patchwork side around him.

If Babar plays, he will be the anchor. If he doesn’t, Shan Masood or Saud Shakeel wears the armband, and a debutant could walk out at Edgbaston with the series already decided. Neither scenario offers comfort. The fever may break before Thursday. The crisis will not. What matters now is how this battered squad responds — whether the new faces play with freedom or fear. Cheema has asked for calm. Pakistan’s fans, after two heavy defeats and a squad overhaul, are struggling to oblige. The Azam Test at Edgbaston now carries a subplot no one wanted: can a captain with a fever hold a fracturing team together?. Full coverage via BBC Sport.

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FAQs

Q: When does the third Test between Pakistan and England start?

The third Test is scheduled to begin at Edgbaston on September 9, 2026.

How severe is Babar Azam's fever?

Team manager Naveed Akram Cheema said there is no cause for panic and Babar is expected to recover soon.

Which players were released from Pakistan's squad?

The seven released players are Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad.

Who could lead Pakistan if Babar Azam does not play?

Shan Masood or Saud Shakeel are the likely captaincy options if the skipper is ruled out. One takeaway: Pakistan’s seventh change is already official, their eighth is now weather-dependent — and Edgbaston is about to test more than just a feverish captain’s fitness.