Mike Hesson has confirmed he is open to taking on the role of Pakistan’s Test coach on a full-time basis, should the position be offered. Hesson, who currently serves as the team’s white-ball coach, was drafted in to manage the side for the third Test in Birmingham following a major shake-up by the Pakistan Cricket Board. This transition occurred after the board parted ways with former coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and dismissed seven players ahead of the fixture.
Reflecting on his future, Hesson noted that while he has not yet extensively evaluated a permanent shift to the red-ball format, he remains receptive to the idea. “I haven’t even contemplated that at this stage. I’ve got the Asian Games coming back about a week after I get back, and that’s my main focus in terms of the white ball. And then by the time that arrives, I’m sure we would have had some discussions about the Test team going forward,” he explained following the conclusion of the Edgbaston match. He added, “Yeah, I’ll be open to it for sure. I love Test cricket, and I think there’s enough talent around the system in Pakistan that if we can provide some good direction, we can make some strides forward.”
Hesson’s commitment to his current role was further highlighted by his revelation that the England and Wales Cricket Board had previously approached him to succeed Brendon McCullum. He opted to decline that opportunity, stating that he does not believe in job-hopping. “I was contacted by my agent to say there had been an approach to have a discussion, and my availability, as I’m sure many people were, and I made it pretty clear that I’d committed to Pakistan. I don’t really believe in having a job to get another job. Most of the positions I’ve been in, I’ve been in for five, six years. I sort of see it through,” he stated.
Despite a 3-0 series defeat, Hesson identified positive elements during the tour, particularly during the Edgbaston Test where Pakistan posted 449 in their second innings. He praised the squad’s resilience, noting they stayed focused throughout a difficult week. “I think losing the toss and dealing with some pretty good seam bowling and handing over probably three or four soft ones in the first hour and a half created a little bit of chaos in the changing room. But outside of that, I think the boys were nice and calm. And I was really pleased the way we showed some character the last couple of days. It wasn’t perfect, but there were certainly some really good signs,” he remarked.
Looking ahead, the road to recovery for Pakistan remains difficult. The team is currently positioned at the bottom of the World Test Championship standings for the 2025-27 cycle. Their upcoming schedule features a two-Test home series against Sri Lanka this November, with a future tour by New Zealand in 2027 also planned, though specific dates for the latter series are yet to be confirmed. The report also notes that he was not averse to it, hesson said that while he hadn’t given the prospect of coaching the Test side much thought. The report also notes that i sort of see it through and then you have a break and you refresh and try for something else. The report also notes that there were signs of improvement at Edgbaston, scoring 449 in their second innings before reducing England to 0/2 in the first over of their defence, while Pakistan endured a forgettable tour. The report also notes that who he said were focused on the game despite the dramatic sequence of events leading up to the Test, and a shaky start on the opening day where they lost seven wickets in the first session, hesson acknowledged the character shown by the players.
