India, Aug. 26 -- Pakistan is sweating over the availability of skipper Babar Azam for the second Test against England at Lord's beginning on Thursday.

A source close to the team said on Tuesday that Babar was suffering from a finger injury, and the swelling made it difficult for him to grip the bat properly. Babar first got hit on the fingers while batting in the second Test against the West Indies before the tour to England.

His injury worsened when he decided to bat a few overs in a three-day practice game against the Counties XI in Kent, where he retired after being hit again on the same finger. He missed the opening Test at Leeds, which Pakistan lost by an innings and 103 runs inside three days because of the injury, and Salman Ali...