Major Changes Pakistan Must Make For England Tests Despite Win Over West Indies

Pakistan team huddle in West Indies (Source: AFP Photos)

Pakistan, under the leadership of Babar Azam, were on the verge of suffering a humiliation in the West Indies. They lost by 90 runs in the first Test at Brian Lara Stadium, making a miserable performance altogether in Babar’s comeback match as Pakistan captain.

However, despite all odds, Pakistan defeated West Indies by eight wickets in the next outing to finish the two-match Test series with a 1-1 scoreline. Even though the result gave them a relief, there are plenty of areas to address before they make decisions for the upcoming Tests in England.

Pakistan and England will play three Test matches, with Headingley, Lord’s and Edgbaston set to be their hosts from August 19 onwards.

As England are all set to begin a new era with the return of Joe Root at the helm, there are a few musts for Pakistan to rectify if they aim to stun the world by defeating England in their own backyard.

Abdullah Shafique At Top, Shan Masood Back At No. 3

After coming in as a replacement for injured Abdullah Fazal in Pakistan’s squad for West Indies Tests, Abdullah Shafique could not have asked for a better comeback performance. His unbeaten 160 in the first innings, coupled with an unbeaten 24 in the second, helped him win the Player of the Match award in Pakistan’s thumping win over West Indies in the second Test.

Shafique came to bat at No. 3, a position vacant due to an unfortunate injury to Shan Masood. The veteran Pakistan batter, whom Babar Azam replaced as Test captain, made a statement century after being sacked as captain.

In England, experience will matter more than anything else. Therefore, if Masood gets fit in time, he should bat at his preferred No. 3 role. At the same time, it will allow Shafique to bat at hi natural position, at the top.

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Not to forget, Shan Masood has been a household name in England, having been associated with Derbyshire, Yorkshire and Leicestershire for their domestic cricket. Thus, Masood’s experience of knowing the conditions well will matter more than anything for Pakistan’s success.

To make room for both Masood and Shafique, Pakistan have to drop either Imam-ul-Haq or Azan Awais from the top. Both Imam and Awais had disappointing outings in the West Indies after four attempts, where they each could only make one half-century.

[Pakistan openers' stats in West Indies Tests, 2026]

So, Pakistan must decide whom to bench and whom to keep for the betterment of their collective results.

Ali Usman Out, Mohammad Abbas In

Pakistan gave Ali Usman opportunities on both occasions against the West Indies. However, except for one innings, in which he took 4/39 with his left-arm spin, he made little impact with the ball in hand.

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Even in his four-wicket haul, two of his wickets were Kemar Roach and Shamar Joseph, who are known for being bowlers rather than being handy customers with the bat. 

To make matters worse, Ali Usman, known for being someone who can be more than decent in lower middle order, was woeful with the bat, making 12 runs across three innings.

With Sajid Khan already making a significant impact with the ball, Pakistan won’t need to have two spinners in their playing XI in England. Instead, they should bring in Mohammad Abbas, who had taken eight wickets in a single match before being sidelined by Babar Azam for the second Test against West Indies.

[Mohammad Abbas Test Stats In England, as of August 5, 2026]

Like Masood, Abbas has a successful career in England’s County Championships. There, he has played for four teams: Leicestershire, Hampshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Thus, his experience with the ball equally matters in English conditions.

Salman Agha Out, Saud Shakeel In

Even though Salman Agha averages 49.55 against England in Tests after 11 Test innings, all his outings against this opposition have come at home between 2022 and 2024. Besides, he was extremely poor with the bat in the West Indies, making only 20 runs in three innings.

To replace Salman Agha, Pakistan could consider bringing in Saud Shakeel, who averages 43.95 overall in Tests. Shakeel could not do much when given the opportunity in Bangladesh in May, but his temperament to bat in tough situations could be useful for Pakistan in the coming Tests in England.

[Salman Agha vs Saud Shakeel In Tests, as of August 5, 2026]

Besides, Khurram Shahzad, who did little wrong in the first Test against West Indies, should be brought back in place of Awais Zafar.

Important to mention that Sajid Khan has three 25+ scores in his last three Test outings. Therefore, he can be easily used to bat at No. 7 to add more quality bowling options and balance to the Pakistan playing XI.

Pakistan's Strongest XI For England Tests

Azan Awais/Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood, Babar Azam (c), Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Sajid Khan, Khurram Shahzad, Khurram Shahzad, Mohammad Ali, Ubaid Shah, Mohammad Abbas

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