Star batter Joe Root has issued Babar Azam warning for England bowlers as they are gearing up to face Pakistan in the first Test.

England are facing some medical issues on the eve of the first Test at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, as several players of the squad including their captain Ben Stokes fell ill.

However, the former captain, who himself was affected by the virus, hopped that Babar’s best won’t come against England in the coming matches.

“Babar Azam is certainly one of the brilliant players,” he told reporters in Rawalpindi. “He is consistent across the three formats; he has done extremely well in Test cricket for a couple of years.”

“The bowlers must play well to keep him quiet, and he is relatively younger than me,” he said. “Few of the other players in the England squad, and I feel like the best is yet to come from him, but we gonna make sure that his best will never be against us in the next three games, but overall he is a hell of a player, and he is great to watch.”

Thursday’s game will also be England’s first Test in Pakistan in 17 years.

Schedule of Pakistan vs. England Test series

December 1-5 – First Test, Rawalpindi

December 9-13 – Second Test, Multan

December 17-21 – Third Test, Karachi