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KEY TAKEAWAYS: - Pakistan skipper Babar Azam fell ill with a high fever ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston following a 194-run defeat at Lord's. - The PCB executed a drastic mid-tour purge, releasing head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and seven senior players. - Mike Hesson has been installed as head coach for the final Test, overseeing a heavily reshuffled and unproven 16-man squad. Pakistan gets hit with yet another blow before the third Test A high fever is the least of Babar Azam’s complications as Pakistan prepare for the third Test against England at Edgbaston. Following a 194-run thrashing at Lord’s, where the skipper could only manage 14 runs, his illness comes against the backdrop of an unprecedented mid-tour purge executed by the Pakistan Cricket Board. The PCB has released head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed, bowling coach Umar Gul, and seven senior players. This includes Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, and Salman Ali Aga, who were sent back to Pakistan before the series finale in Birmingham. White-ball coach Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke have been brought in to manage a makeshift 16-man squad dominated by unproven domestic talent. But while team media manager Naveed Akram Cheema insisted there was "no need to panic" regarding Babar’s health. MORE: Misbah resigns from PCB selection committee after 7 players were sent home from ENG tour Babar Azam availability update for Edgbaston Test "According to highly credible sources, Pakistan captain Babar, who was dismissed for eight and six runs in the Lord's Test, is under considerable pressure following the team's defeat and the decision to send the head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and seven players back to the country, and has now been suffering from a high fever," Geo News reported. Meanwhile, Cheema expects the 31-year-old to recover before September 9, with the atmosphere around the team hotel remaining tense. With senior partners removed from the dressing room, the burden on Babar's run production has doubled and his availability will be crucial for a side in a crisis. He must now anchor a fragile, inexperienced batting card while attempting to rebuild his own form and physical energy before next Wednesday's toss. Pakistan's sacking speaks of nothing but their own lack of planning Sending half a squad and the coaching staff midway through an away tour is not a structural fix. It is a panic reaction disguised as decisive management. Expecting a recovering captain to lead a side featuring seven international newcomers into an Edgbaston Test against England’s attack is an exercise in damage control rather than elite sport. If the PCB deemed Sarfaraz and the senior core unfit for purpose, making that call after a single heavy loss in London reveals a complete absence of strategic vision. Whatever unfolds in Birmingham, purging the dressing room mid-tour leaves Pakistan's red-ball setup looking reactive, fragmented, and reliant on individual bailouts to avoid a series sweep. For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages