• •Babar Azam retired hurt during a practice session against England, as reported by Cricinfo.
• •Medical assessment indicates a minor hand injury that is not expected to rule him out of the first Test.
• •The official timeline for his full return to nets remains unconfirmed by the PCB medical team.

Pakistan batter Babar Azam was forced to retire hurt after sustaining a hand injury during a practice match against England. While such incidents are common during high-intensity warm-ups, the timing creates immediate concern given the looming start of the Test series. Though current reports suggest he will recover in time for the opening match, the team has yet to provide a definitive update on his availability for lead-up training. Whether this impact affects his grip or batting technique in the longer format will only be clear once he resumes net sessions.