Ten years after Pakistan's 10-wicket victory over England at the Oval, the tourists arrive for a new series in a far weaker position, having won only two of their last 13 Test matches. The first Test of the 2026 tour begins at Headingley on 19 August 2026, with Pakistan's build-up already disrupted by a fresh injury blow to their captain, Babar Azam.
On 15 August 2015, Younis Khan struck a double century and the leg-spinner Yasir Shah took a five-wicket haul as Misbah-ul-Haq's side completed a rout that lifted Pakistan to the top of the Test rankings for the first time, despite being unable to host matches at home since the 2009 attack on Sri Lanka's team bus. A decade on, that anniversary has passed with little to celebrate for the current squad.
Why has Pakistan's Test team fallen so far since 2015?
The fall stems largely from relentless upheaval in coaching and selection, with Pakistan cycling through more than ten head coaches or team directors across formats since 2021. Sarfaraz Ahmed, the wicketkeeper from that 2015 Oval triumph, is now the Test head coach, a link to the golden era that only highlights how unstable the setup has become since. Babar Azam himself is now in his second spell as Test captain, having taken back the role from Shan Masood ahead of last month's tour of the Caribbean.
That instability has coincided with results that place Pakistan second from bottom in the current World Test Championship table, after finishing last in the previous cycle. According to Pakistan's own board, this England tour forms part of the 2025–27 World Test Championship cycle, which is why the outcome carries weight beyond a simple bilateral contest, as the Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed.
What happened on the tour of the West Indies?
Pakistan's trip to the Caribbean last month offered some encouragement, ending a run of eight straight away defeats when they won the second Test on a turning pitch exploited by off-spinner Sajid Khan. That victory helped Pakistan draw the series 1-1, as detailed in Pakistan's first overseas Test win in three years, an eight-wicket triumph in Trinidad that ended a lengthy wait for success on foreign soil. Babar Azam was named player of the series with 193 runs, while Masood scored his first century since losing the captaincy.
Fortune has since turned against both men. Masood fractured a finger while making that century, struck by the pace of Jayden Seales, and Babar took a blow to his right hand during Pakistan's warm-up fixture at Beckenham last week, forcing him to retire hurt.
Will Babar Azam play in the first Test?
No. Babar Azam has been ruled out of the first Test against England, with Salman Ali Agha named as stand-in captain for the match, according to ESPNcricinfo. Pakistan coach Sarfaraz Ahmed has said the absence is expected to be limited to the opening match, adding that there is no fracture in the middle finger of Babar's right hand, the same report noted. Masood, meanwhile, has been declared fit to play despite his own recent finger injury, and brings useful local knowledge having captained Yorkshire and played county cricket for Leicestershire and Derbyshire.
Pakistan did take some momentum into the series by winning a warm-up match ahead of the Headingley Test, as reported by a broadcaster's cricket coverage, even as their build-up was overshadowed by the captain's injury.
Who else can Pakistan rely on with the bat?
Abdullah Shafique, also a centurion in the Caribbean, offers a technique admired by purists, while Saud Shakeel maintains a Test average above 40. Neither has yet been tested in English conditions at this level, but there is clear pedigree running through Pakistan's batting order even without their first-choice captain.
Does Pakistan's bowling attack have enough threat?
The greater concern lies with the bowling, which lacks genuine pace and a spinner capable of turning matches on his own. Much will depend on Mohammad Abbas, 36, who has spent years honing his craft in county cricket and remains the last man standing from Pakistan's 2020 seam attack in England, a role explored in an earlier look at Pakistan's reliance on Abbas ahead of this tour. He does not bowl much above 80mph but has previously troubled England, taking eight wickets at Lord's in 2018 to inspire Pakistan's last Test win in the country, against a Root-led side then still recovering from an Ashes defeat.
Predictable narratives about Pakistan's unpredictability will inevitably resurface over the coming weeks: a team said to be capable of beating anyone in the right moment, with bowlers turning menacing and fielders building momentum toward an unlikely win. Yet the more measured view is that this series arrives at a convenient time for England, whose new era under Joe Root as Test captain follows the end of the previous leadership setup, a change confirmed after Harry Brook was passed over in favour of Root for the captaincy. Rob Key indicated the role had come too soon for the 27-year-old Brook ahead of the three-match series starting 19 August 2026.
What happens next in the series?
Following the first Test at Headingley, the series moves to Lord's for the second match from 27 to 31 August 2026, before concluding with the third Test at Edgbaston from 9 to 13 September 2026, according to the Pakistan Cricket Board's tour schedule. Whether Babar Azam is fit to return for either of the remaining Tests remains the next major decision facing the tourists, as ESPNcricinfo reported. England, favourites on paper and eager for a morale-boosting result, will hope home advantage and Pakistan's disrupted preparation prove decisive, while Pakistan's supporters may find more comfort in memories of that Oval afternoon a decade ago than in realistic expectations for this series.
Key Facts
- Pakistan have won just two of their last 13 Test matches and sit second-bottom in the current World Test Championship table.
- Babar Azam is ruled out of the first Test at Headingley (19 August 2026) after a hand injury; Salman Ali Agha will captain in his place.
- Sarfaraz Ahmed, wicketkeeper in Pakistan's 2015 Oval win, is now Test head coach; there is no confirmed fracture in Babar's finger.
- Pakistan drew their most recent Test series 1-1 in the West Indies, ending a three-year wait for an overseas win.
- The series continues with Tests at Lord's (27–31 August 2026) and Edgbaston (9–13 September 2026).
