To tackle these lingering issues before departing, the team management organized an additional short conditioning camp in Islamabad to focus specifically on sorting out the players’ physical readiness
Published: July 8, 2026, 11:11 PM IST
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File photo of Mohammad Rizwan. (Credits: IANS)
The new look Pakistan Test team is facing significant fitness challenges as they prepare for their upcoming crucial Test tours of the Caribbean and England. Test team head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed openly admitted that player fitness remains a major concern for the national side.
Speaking to the media in Karachi, Sarfaraz revealed that several physical conditioning issues came to light during the team’s month-long red-ball training camp recently held in Lahore.
While some of these fitness problems were successfully resolved during the intensive Lahore camp, multiple concerns still remain unaddressed.
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To tackle these lingering issues before departing, the team management organized an additional short conditioning camp in Islamabad to focus specifically on sorting out the players’ physical readiness.
Despite the setbacks, Sarfaraz expressed strong confidence in the newly reappointed Test captain, Babar Azam. He highlighted that Babar possesses vast leadership experience from his previous stints and is well-equipped to handle the intense pressures of overseas tours.
Babar Azam also addressed the issue on a Pakistan Cricket Board podcast, emphasizing that strict discipline and high fitness levels will be his absolute priorities as captain to ensure strong performances on the field. He added that the team needs to drastically step up its game in the remaining matches of the ICC World Test Championship.
Babar noted that despite the high volume of white-ball cricket played globally, a player’s true quality is still defined by how they perform in the traditional red-ball format.
Pakistan is scheduled to play a grueling schedule consisting of two Test matches in the Caribbean, followed by a three-Test series in England, stretching across July, August, and early September.
Pakistan’s Test tour of West Indies Squad
Babar Azam (C), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Fazal, Ali Usman, Azan Awais, Imam ul Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Mohammad Awais Zafar, Mohammad Ghazi Ghouri, Sajid Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shan Masood, Ubaid Shah.
