Babar Azam was hit in the nets.
Babar Azam was hit in the nets. Image Credit: X

With less than a week before the opening game of the two-match Test series at home against Bangladesh, both sides are busy doing their eleventh-hour preparation of various departments. The former captain of the home side, Babar Azam, was seen to go through intense fast bowling in the net sessions.

Both the games will be part of the ongoing third cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC), where the home side are fifth in the points table, thanks to their series victory in Sri Lanka under the captaincy of Babar Azam, and the defeat in Australia in the leadership of their new captain Shan Masood.

The first of the two Tests against Najmul Hossain Shanto-led side will be played from August 21 at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, while for the second and final game, both the two teams will move to the National Stadium in Karachi as the match starts on August 30.

Watch: Babar Azam gets a huge blow in the box during the net session before the Bangladesh series

The series is quite vital for Pakistan, who hasn’t enjoyed huge success at home in the longest format of the game, having lost the two series against England and Australia, both of whom displayed better performances with both bat and ball.

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Going into the series, the main focus has been on Babar Azam, who is expected to be the key member of the home side with the bat during the two red-ball games, as he always aims to get back in full shape before a huge season across formats.

On August 15, the right-handed batter was seen going through an intense net session under the guidance of the team’s new coach of the longest format of the game, Jason Gillespie. He was mainly facing the pacers, looking to get his feet movement and head position in the right structure to be able to play the fast bowlers in the best way.

However, in a video that has gone viral on the internet, Babar Azam was found to be dealing with a nasty blow while batting, as the former Pakistan red-ball captain was hit in the box and looked in serious pain straightaway. He was down on his haunches before taking some moments to get back on his feet.

He has been facing a lot of criticism for his form in the shortest format of the game, especially, after the team’s group stage exit from the recent Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States of America. He could smash only 122 runs in four innings, at an average of 40.66 and a strike rate of 101.66, with a best score of 44 runs.

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In the last red-ball series of the Pakistan side, the 29-year-old struggled badly against the quality pace bowling attack of the current World Champions. He could manage only 126 runs in three games, at an average of 21 and a strike rate of 46.84, with a best score of only 41 runs.

Babar Azam has also notched up 3898 runs in 52 games, at an average of 45.85, celebrating 26 fifties and nine centuries with a best score of 196 runs. The Lahore-born will aim to bring his best game in the upcoming five Tests at home against Bangladesh and England before they fly to South Africa for another red-ball series towards the end of the ongoing year.