Captain Babar Azam says a new-look Pakistan are ready to fight Sri Lanka when the first Test of their two-match series begins at Rawalpindi on Monday, hoping for a fresh start after a disastrous tour of England.

Pakistan were beaten 3-0 in England, a series that led to a sweeping overhaul in September. Seven players were sent home after the second Test, head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were sacked, and white-ball coach Mike Hesson was brought into the Test set-up.

Only Salman Agha and Aamer Jamal have been recalled from the seven players sent home, while five of the side that played the final Test at Edgbaston have been dropped. Uncapped batters Mohammad Taha, Saad Baig, Tayyab Arif and Sameer Minhas are in the squad, along with pace bowlers Saqib Khan and Ali Shabbir, and former captain Shan Masood is among those left out.

The series is part of the World Test Championship's fourth cycle, with Pakistan ninth and last in the standings and Sri Lanka seventh. The second Test begins in Lahore on 17 November.

Sri Lanka are also in transition. White-ball skipper Kusal Mendis has taken over as Test captain from Dhananjaya de Silva, and he has backed his experienced batting line-up to handle whatever conditions Pakistan prepare, pointing to the side's performances in England last summer.

Young batter Sonal Dinusha is one of Sri Lanka's key men after three centuries in his last four Test innings, including two hundreds against India. Pakistan, meanwhile, have named no specialist spinner in their squad, suggesting they will lean heavily on their fast bowlers on what is expected to be a batting-friendly Rawalpindi surface. Full report: Cricketnmore