Pakistan’s stand-in Test captain Salman Ali Agha responded with humour after England handed Pakistan a heavy defeat, saying he would be “more than happy” to hand the captaincy back to Babar Azam if the regular skipper returns for the second Test.

Agha was leading Pakistan in Babar’s absence, but the match proved a difficult one for the visitors as England secured a dominant innings-and-103-run victory.

England Dominate Pakistan

Pakistan struggled with the bat throughout the Test, failing to build the partnerships needed to challenge England.

The defeat placed additional attention on Pakistan’s batting performance and the team’s leadership ahead of the next match.

Babar Azam Could Return

With Babar Azam potentially returning for the second Test, Salman Ali Agha welcomed the possibility of the regular captain coming back into the team.

Rather than expressing frustration over the leadership responsibility, Agha responded light-heartedly, indicating that he would be happy to see Babar return and take over the captaincy.

His comments provided a lighter moment following what was otherwise a disappointing result for Pakistan.

Pressure Ahead of the Second Test

Pakistan will now look to regroup before the next Test, with improvements needed in both batting and overall team performance.

A potential return for Babar could add experience to the side, while the team will be hoping to respond strongly after England's commanding victory.

Conclusion

Salman Ali Agha’s humorous comments offered a brief moment of levity after Pakistan’s heavy defeat to England.

With Babar Azam potentially returning, attention will now turn to Pakistan’s team selection, leadership and ability to bounce back in the second Test.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is based on publicly available reports. The image is AI-generated and is for reference only.