Pakistan Selector Questions Imam-ul-Haq's Injury Amidst Tour Turmoil

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s bruising tour of England has taken a fresh twist, with a senior selector publicly questioning Imam-ul-Haq’s injury and demanding an inquiry into how the opener was handled during the heavy defeat at Lord’s.

Aaqib Javed, a member of the four-man national selection panel, has cast doubt on the severity of Imam’s calf problem after the left-hander failed to bat in either innings of Pakistan’s 194-run loss in the second Test on Sunday.

Selector calls for inquiry

“An inquiry will be conducted into this matter,” Javed told private broadcaster Geo TV in an interview aired Tuesday night, sharpening the spotlight on a tour already under fire.

“How is it possible that you failed to come out to bat in both innings after pulling up a muscle?” he said. “Injuries do occur and we have seen instances in the past where players — even with casts — have gone out and made an effort. This situation is different. It is a matter of great concern, and action will be taken regarding it.”

Imam injured his left calf in the field on the first day at Lord’s and took no further part in the match. The absence of a frontline opener only deepened Pakistan’s troubles as England dominated across four days.

The criticism grew louder when former chief selector Mohammad Wasim also questioned the episode in local media. Under that glare, Imam appeared on the outfield before play on the fourth day, limping as he shadow-batted with his left calf heavily strapped. The brief cameo did little to calm the storm.

Turbulent tour, sweeping changes

The fallout from back-to-back defeats at Headingley and Lord’s has been swift. Imam is among seven players recalled from England by the Pakistan Cricket Board, along with bowling coach Umar Gul and head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed, as the PCB moves to reset a faltering campaign.

For the final Test, starting in Birmingham on Sept. 9, white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke will step in to take charge of the side. It is a striking mid-tour reshuffle that underlines the level of dissatisfaction within the setup.

The selectors have doubled down on change. Five uncapped players have been drafted into the squad, alongside openers Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, who between them have just 10 Tests of experience. Pakistan will go into Birmingham with a dressing room that looks and feels very different from the one that began the series.

Selection rift comes into the open

Behind the scenes, fault lines over selection have widened into a public rift. Reports from the tour point to serious differences between team management and Javed over the XI picked for Lord’s, disagreements that helped trigger the reshuffle mid-series.

Javed wanted a more aggressive shake-up. He pushed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and captain Babar Azam to bring in a fast-bowling allrounder, pace bowler Ubaid Shah and wicketkeeper-batter Ghazi Ghori for the second Test — with Mohammad Rizwan the high-profile omission in his plan.

“We can’t just keep waiting,” Javed said. “I had actually spoken to both the captain and the coach after the first test, suggesting they include Ubaid, who bowls at 140 kph. Agha was rightly rested, Ghazi Ghori was available on the tour and should have played instead of Rizwan.”

The tour management chose a more conservative route. Only Salman Ali Agha, who had captained Pakistan in the first Test in Babar’s injury-enforced absence, was dropped for Lord’s. The core of the side, including Rizwan, stayed intact — and then suffered another heavy defeat.

Now, with an inquiry looming over Imam’s injury, coaches sent home, and a raw, reshaped squad heading to Birmingham, Pakistan’s final Test in England has become more than a contest. It looks like a referendum on how this team is being built, and on who truly calls the shots.