In a significant shake-up, the Pakistan team management has released three senior players—Salman Agha, Mohammad Rizwan, and Imam-ul-Haq—from their ongoing Test tour of England. The decision follows a string of poor performances that have left the team trailing 0-2 in the series. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) cited a combination of form, fitness, and disciplinary concerns as the primary drivers behind this sweeping personnel change.
The team has already issued call-ups to Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal for the third Test, which is scheduled to begin on September 9 in Birmingham. Furthermore, if visa logistics are finalized, the squad expects to be bolstered by the arrival of four additional players: fast bowlers Razaullah Khan and Mohammad Imran, left-arm spinner Arafat Minhas, and wicketkeeper Rohail Nazir.
Alongside the player releases, the coaching structure is undergoing a major transition. Mike Hesson, who has been managing the white-ball side, has been appointed to lead the Test squad for the remainder of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. This includes upcoming series against Sri Lanka in November and New Zealand early next year. While current Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul remain with the touring party, they have been effectively sidelined from their primary roles.
This mid-series coaching shift draws parallels to the BCCI’s 2014 decision to appoint Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun, R Sridhar, and Sanjay Bangar to oversee the team in England, though that change occurred after the Test series concluded. Pakistan’s move is notably more drastic, occurring while the Test series is still active.
The decision to drop the senior trio follows a period of sustained underperformance. Rizwan has struggled with the bat, recording 283 runs in 11 innings at an average of 25.72, while Agha has managed 221 runs at 24.55. Imam has fared similarly, contributing 178 runs at an average of 22.25 across eight innings. As a team, Pakistan has recorded the lowest batting average (23.92) among all WTC nations since January 2025.
Pakistan currently sits at the bottom of the WTC table, having failed to secure a win in their last 18 Tests in SENA countries since 2018, resulting in 16 losses and two draws. Their most recent victory in these conditions dates back to May 2018 at Lord’s. Following their latest defeat at the same venue this past Sunday—their 10th loss in 11 away Tests—the team’s historical win-loss ratio has dipped below 1 for the first time since 1987. They now hold 153 wins against 154 losses in 473 total matches, reflecting a win-loss ratio of 0.993. The report also notes that however, this was done after the Test series (1-3 loss), preceeding the white-ball series, while Pakistan have done this in the middle of the Test series. The report also notes that with the lone win coming against West Indies earlier this month, they have lost five of the last six Tests. The report also notes that pakistan, of course, are already out of contention for a place in the WTC final. The report also notes that the New Zealander is believed to be in England already and is expected to link up with the side soon.
