Following a heavy defeat to England at Lord’s, the Pakistan Cricket Board released three senior players and moved white-ball head coach Mike Hesson to oversee the Test team for the remaining World Test Championship fixtures, deepening a coaching shake-up ahead of the September 9 Edgbaston Test.
Test Shake-Up After Lord’s Rout
Pakistan’s red-ball campaign in England has plunged into turmoil following a 194-run defeat at Lord’s on Sunday. The result handed England an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, leaving the touring squad grappling with reasons ranging from fitness and form to disciplinary issues.
The team management, acting in obvious consultation with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), effected a sweeping reshuffle and released three senior players from the touring side. Former white-ball captain Salman Agha, along with batters Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq, have been sidelined after being below par so far in the Tests, which are part of the current WTC cycle. Pakistan are already out of contention for a place in the WTC final, having lost five of the last six Tests, with the lone win coming against West Indies earlier this month.
Coaching Transition and Hesson’s Expanded Role
White-ball head coach Mike Hesson has been asked to take charge of the Test squad for the remainder of the WTC matches in the current cycle, which includes two matches in Sri Lanka in November and two more in New Zealand early next year. Hesson is believed to be in England already and is expected to link up with the side soon. He initially traveled to London with Pakistan’s Director of High Performance, Aqib Javed, but following the team’s latest setback, his role has reportedly been expanded to include the Test squad.
Current Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul have been sidelined, although they will continue to travel with the side.
“It is highly likely that after the ODI and T20 series, Mike Hesson will also take over the coaching responsibilities of the Test team, and Sarfaraz Ahmed will be removed from coaching the Test team after the England tour,”
Geo News, via India Today
The PCB has not officially confirmed Hesson’s reported involvement with the Test side or indicated whether he will take over the role permanently. It also remains unclear whether his presence at Edgbaston would be a one-off arrangement or the first step towards a wider restructuring of Pakistan’s coaching setup. If Hesson eventually takes charge across formats, Pakistan could have one head coach overseeing both the red-ball and white-ball teams. For now, however, no such decision has been officially announced.
Squad Changes and Squad Replacements
The touring roster faces severe personnel shortages ahead of the third Test, which begins September 9 in Birmingham. Imam-ul-Haq was unable to bat during the second innings at Lord’s after suffering a calf injury on the opening day, while Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha departed the squad.
To bolster the depleted ranks, the team management sent call-ups to Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal for the third Test. Additionally, if UK visas can be arranged in time, four others—fast bowlers Razaullah Khan and Mohammad Imran, left-arm spinner Arafat Minhas, and wicketkeeper Rohail Nazir—will also join the squad in England.
Batting Struggles and Missed Milestones
Batting frailties remained a central theme of Pakistan’s defeat at Lord’s, where the visitors were bowled out for 194 while chasing 389 in the second innings. Saud Shakeel provided their strongest resistance before being caught on the boundary for 97.
Shakeel’s dismissal ended Pakistan’s hopes of an unlikely fightback and left him agonisingly short of a century. His 97 is the highest individual score by either team in the series so far. England needed only 18 wickets to complete their 194-run victory, with Imam unable to bat again after suffering a calf injury on the opening day. Sarfaraz had previously admitted that the team’s inability to spend enough time at the crease was a major concern.
Edgbaston Test and Beyond
With the victory giving England their first Test series win since December 2024 and extending Pakistan’s struggles with the bat, Pakistan turns its attention to the final fixture of the tour. The third Test at Edgbaston will test a heavily restructured squad under new coaching oversight, providing an immediate indication of how the visiting side responds to sweeping personnel changes.
