Pakistan cricket is in the middle of one of its most dramatic mid-series shake-ups in recent memory. A day after slumping to a 194-run defeat against England at Lord's, the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed a sweeping overhaul of both the playing squad and the Test coaching setup, with the changes set to take effect ahead of the series-deciding third Test at Edgbaston.
Why did Pakistan release seven players from the squad?
The trigger was Pakistan's second straight heavy defeat of the tour. Having already lost the series opener at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs, the tourists were beaten by 194 runs in the second Test at Lord's, handing England an unassailable 2-0 lead with one match to play. The PCB, in consultation with the team management, decided that wholesale change was needed rather than persisting with an out-of-form group through a dead rubber. The board's statement pointed to current form and fitness as the basis for the selection calls, with some of the decisions also believed to reflect broader concerns about application and discipline within the squad.
Who are the players that have been dropped?
Seven players have been sent home. They are wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan, opening batter Imam-ul-Haq, former white-ball captain Salman Ali Agha, spinner Ali Usman, all-rounder Aamir Jamal, seamer Muhammad Awais Zafar and pace bowler Khurram Shahzad. Rizwan's place had come under scrutiny for some time because of a dip in his batting returns, and his dismissal at Lord's, where he was trapped lbw attempting an ill-judged aggressive shot, added to the pressure on the selectors to act. Imam-ul-Haq did not bat in either innings at Lord's after picking up a calf injury, while Usman's omission is notable given he had claimed a five-wicket haul in the second innings at Headingley only a fortnight earlier.
Who has been called up as replacements?
Pakistan have named seven replacements to restore the squad to full strength. Two of them, Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, already have Test experience, having played eight and two matches respectively. The other five are uncapped at Test level: all-rounder Arafat Minhas, who already has white-ball caps for Pakistan; left-arm pace bowler Mohammad Imran Jnr, handed his first Test squad call-up; wicketkeeper-batter Saad Baig, fresh off being named player of the tournament in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy; pace-bowling all-rounder Muhammad Imran; and fellow seamer Razaullah. Together, the new-look group leans heavily on domestic form, with several of the incoming players having earned their place on the back of strong recent showings in first-class cricket at home. The revised squad blends a handful of senior campaigners, including opener Shan Masood and batter Saud Shakeel, with several players yet to make their Test debuts, and Babar Azam continues as captain for the Edgbaston match.
What changes has the PCB made to the coaching staff?
The shake-up was not limited to the playing group. Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul have both been moved on from their Test roles. In their place, Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke, who currently head up Pakistan's white-ball coaching setup as head coach and bowling coach respectively, have stepped in to oversee the Test side for the remainder of the tour. It is an unusual mid-series switch, though not unprecedented in international cricket. A comparable move happened during India's tour of England in 2014, when the Indian board added extra coaching support in the middle of that series after a string of poor results, even though the staff changes there came in a different format of the tour. The Pakistan move is more far-reaching by comparison, since it combines a coaching reshuffle with a near-total rebuild of the playing squad in a single announcement, underlining how seriously the board views the need for a course correction before the tour ends.
How did Pakistan collapse at Lord's?
Chasing a stiff target in the second innings, Pakistan were bowled out for 194, with Saud Shakeel offering the most resistance. He fell for 97, caught on the boundary in a dismissal that ended any faint hope of an unlikely fightback and left him agonisingly close to what would have been a fighting century. His score remains the highest individual innings by either side in the series so far. Beyond Shakeel's knock, however, Pakistan's batting has struggled for consistency throughout the tour, a pattern that has now cost several senior players their places.
What does this mean for Pakistan's World Test Championship hopes?
Practically, very little changes in terms of Pakistan's position in the current World Test Championship cycle. The team is already out of contention for a place in the next final, so the Edgbaston Test carries no mathematical significance for that race. What it does offer is a chance for the newly reshaped squad to show something for the future, with selectors clearly using the fixture to fast-track fresh talent ahead of Pakistan's next assignments: a two-Test series at home to Sri Lanka in November and two further Tests in New Zealand next year.
When and where is the third Test?
The third and final Test of the series begins on September 9 at Edgbaston in Birmingham, with Pakistan looking to salvage some pride after a difficult tour of England.
Syed Naeem Abbas — author and verified this story.
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