Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made significant changes to its Test squad and coaching staff following consecutive heavy defeats against England, further deepening the crisis within the team. On Monday, the PCB summoned head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul back to Pakistan, replacing them with white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and assistant Ashley Noffke for the final Test in Birmingham starting September 9.
In addition to the coaching shake-up, seven players were sent home after the second Test at Lord’s, which Pakistan lost by 194 runs. The players returning to Pakistan include wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, injured opener Imam-ul-Haq, former captain Salman Ali Agha, spinners Ali Usman and bowlers Khurram Shahzad, as well as squad members Aamir Jamal and Awais Zafar, who had not featured in the matches.
The PCB called up seven replacements for the final Test, including four uncapped players: spin allrounder Arafat Minhas, fast bowlers Mohammad Imran Jr. and Mohammad Imran, wicketkeeper Saad Baig, and fast bowling allrounder Razaullah. Also recalled were batsmen Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, who have previous Test experience.
The reshuffle follows a series of disappointing performances by Pakistan in the series, including their failure to pass 200 runs in four innings. Pakistan has already lost the series after dropping the first two matches, widening concerns over their ongoing struggles in red-ball cricket. Under Sarfaraz Ahmed’s three-month tenure, the team lost five of six away Tests, including in Bangladesh, the West Indies, and now England. Babar Azam, reinstated as Test captain earlier this year, has been unable to reverse the team’s fortunes. Injuries have also hampered Pakistan's campaign, with Babar sidelined for the first Test and Imam-ul-Haq suffering a torn calf muscle during the Lord’s fixture.
The sweeping mid-series changes have drawn criticism from former Pakistan captains. Shoaib Malik urged respect for the players removed from the squad, cautioning that accountability measures should come after a tour concludes rather than amid ongoing fixtures, warning that such decisions could impose mental strain on players. Shahid Afridi described the mass replacements and coaching changes as “shocking” and questioned the logic behind including predominantly limited-overs specialists for a Test match in England. Both expressed concern over the timing and rationale of the PCB’s decisions.
Further complicating the situation, selector Misbah-ul-Haq reportedly tendered his resignation following the controversy, though the PCB has yet to formally accept it. The resignation came a day after the coaching staff was dismissed and the squad was overhauled, signaling escalating tensions within Pakistan’s cricket administration.
As Pakistan prepares for the final Test at Edgbaston, the team faces the challenge of regrouping under new leadership amid significant internal upheaval, while England seeks to secure a comprehensive series whitewash.