Pakistan’s Test cricket team has undergone significant changes ahead of the third Test against England at Edgbaston, scheduled to begin on September 9. Following two comprehensive defeats that saw Pakistan lose the series 2-0, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made the decision to remove head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and his assistant Umar Gul from their roles. They have been replaced by Mike Hesson, the New Zealander currently overseeing Pakistan’s white-ball teams, and assistant coach Ashley Noffke.

In addition to the coaching staff overhaul, seven players have been sent home, reducing the squad size substantially. Among those dropped are Salman Ali Agha, who captained Pakistan in the first Test in the absence of regular captain Babar Azam, opener Imam-ul-Haq, wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, spinner Ali Usman, and seamers Khurram Shahzad and Aamir Jamal. Muhammad Awais Zafar, who had not featured in the series so far, was also excluded from the squad. Reports indicate that some of the players were not directly informed prior to their exclusion and became aware of their removal through social media.

To fill the vacancies, Pakistan has flown in seven new players, five of whom are uncapped at Test level. Among the incoming contingent are batsmen Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, who have limited Test experience with eight and two matches respectively, and left-arm spinner Arafat Minhas, who has participated in a handful of limited-overs internationals. These replacements are set to join the squad in England ahead of the final match.

The changes underline a rapid and substantial response from the PCB to Pakistan’s disappointing performance in the ongoing series against England. The decision to appoint Hesson and overhaul the squad is seen as an attempt to reinvigorate the team’s performance in the immediate term. Hesson, a former coach of New Zealand’s national team, was already in London on a pre-arranged visit before these developments unfolded.

This restructuring comes amid broader scrutiny of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s management style, which has previously been marked by politically influenced and abrupt decisions. The series has also seen tense moments off the field, including reported threats by the PCB to withhold players from the Lord’s Test afternoon session in protest over unspecified issues.

With the third Test at Edgbaston approaching, Pakistan will be aiming to reverse their fortunes under new leadership and with a significantly altered squad as they look to salvage pride at the conclusion of their England tour.