WATCH: Babar Azam refers Saud Shakeel as ‘Chota Don’ during fielding drills

The Pakistan cricket team commenced their training camp on Thursday at Pindi Cricket Stadium for the upcoming three-match Test series against Australia, set to begin on December 14, 2023.

On the first day of the training session, various noteworthy moments unfolded at Pindi Cricket Stadium. During slip-catching drills, Babar Azam added a touch of humour to the proceedings by playfully nicknaming Saud Shakeel 'Chota Don' (Little Don) after the southpaw adeptly secured a catch.

This character was inspired by the comedic character 'Chota Don' portrayed by Rajpal Yadav in the Indian film 'Partner,' with the term 'Chota' humorously referencing the character's diminutive stature.

Alongside the light-hearted banter, Babar Azam participated in warm-up activities, engaging in a brisk jog around the ground with Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Rizwan.

The star batter, who stepped down from captaincy recently, demonstrated a dedicated approach, concentrating on refining his batting skills during the net practice session.

Pakistan squad for Australia Tests: Shan Masood (captain), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Saud Shakeel and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Australia tour schedule:

Four-day match: PM’s XI vs Pakistan – December 6-9: Manuka Oval, Canberra

1st Test – Australia vs Pakistan – December 14-18: Perth Stadium

2nd Test – Australia vs Pakistan – December 26-30: Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)

3rd Test – Australia vs Pakistan – January 3-7: Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)