Former Pakistan head coach Mudassar Nazar and former captain Mohammad Yousuf have criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board’s recent decisions, particularly the major changes made to the Test coaching setup during the England tour.
The former cricketers expressed surprise over the removal of former Pakistan fast bowler Umar Gul from the Test coaching staff. They questioned the reasoning behind the decision, especially given their view that Pakistan’s bowling unit had been performing well.
“If the bowling was going well, why was Umar Gul removed?” the former cricketers questioned.
Nazar and Yousuf also criticized the frequent changes within Pakistan’s coaching staff and team management. They said the repeated changes had become a source of embarrassment for Pakistan cricket.
“People used to laugh when Pakistan lost, but now things have gone too far,” they said.
The former cricketers also highlighted how unusual it was to make so many changes during an away series. They compared the situation with home series, where such extensive changes are less common.
Concerns Over Team Management
Nazar and Yousuf also questioned the Pakistan team’s attire at a High Commission function. They expressed surprise that the players attended the official event in clothing they considered inappropriate for the occasion.
According to them, the entire team would normally attend such functions wearing the official Pakistan tour shirt.
Yousuf further argued that recalling players and coaching staff during an ongoing tour could not simply be attributed to poor performances. He said the decisions once again highlighted disagreements, internal unrest and controversies within Pakistan cricket.
PCB Makes Major Changes
The criticism follows sweeping changes made by the PCB after Pakistan lost the first two Tests against England at Headingley and Lord’s.
The board released seven players from the squad ahead of the third and final Test. They included Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Aamer Jamal, Salman Ali Agha and Awais Zafar.
They were replaced by Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal, wicketkeeper-batter Saad Baig, Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jr and Razaullah.
The PCB also made major changes to the coaching staff. Red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were released from their respective roles.
White-ball head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke will oversee the team for the final Test against England.
England Series Reaches Final Test
England have already secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series after winning the first two Tests.
The third and final Test is scheduled to take place in Birmingham from September 9 to 13.
Pakistan will now enter the final match with a significantly changed squad and coaching setup, while the PCB faces renewed scrutiny over the timing and reasoning behind its decisions.v
