Birmingham, September 4, 2026: Pakistan’s interim red-ball head coach Mike Hesson has distanced himself from the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) decision to remove Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul from their coaching roles, saying the changes were made before he was asked to take charge of the Test side.
Hesson’s comments came as Pakistan prepare for the third and final Test against England at Edgbaston, with the visitors trailing 2-0 after defeats in Leeds and Lord’s.
The PCB made sweeping changes to the Test squad following the first two matches, releasing seven players and bringing in a group of uncapped players, including Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jr, Razaullah and wicketkeeper-batter Saad Baig, along with Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal.
The reshuffle also resulted in former red-ball head coach Umar Gul and Sarfaraz Ahmed being released from their respective positions, with Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke subsequently handed interim charge of the Test team.
Hesson made it clear that he had no involvement in those decisions, saying his immediate priority was to assemble a balanced squad capable of challenging England in the must-win Test at Edgbaston from September 9 to 13.
“I don’t think anyone wants these sorts of things to happen in the middle of a series. Clearly not. Those decisions have been made and, from my perspective, it’s a matter of putting a balanced squad together. Whether I’m involved or not, for this Test we need to have some variety in our attack,” Hesson said during a media conference.
The New Zealander said the influx of younger players could help Pakistan rediscover some of the qualities that have traditionally distinguished its cricket, particularly in the bowling department.
“Pakistan are known for pace, unusual actions and mystery spin. We haven’t really been able to present any of that. We’ve picked some young players who haven’t had three, four or five years of experience, but they have a point of difference,” he said.
Hesson said giving opportunities to players with different skill sets could also help Pakistan develop a clearer identity in Test cricket.
“If they get an opportunity to play, then there’ll be a chance for us to show some of the skills that Pakistan have. I think there’s been talk about having an identity as a Test team, and I think that does come from stability, for sure, but it also comes from being authentic to the way your team plays. We have to get back to that,” he added.
The coaching changes have drawn particular attention because of Gul’s experience as a former Pakistan fast bowler and his role in developing the national team’s pace attack.
While acknowledging Gul’s credentials, Hesson said the revised coaching structure was intended to better support the development of Pakistan’s emerging fast bowlers.
“Umar Gul is a wonderful bowler. He’s probably one of the greats. But we’ve had to look at how we can support the new bowlers coming through, the young bowlers. Certainly, they’ve worked incredibly well with Ashley Noffke over the last few weeks,” he said.
Hesson again stressed that he had inherited the situation rather than initiated the changes involving the former members of the coaching staff.
“But those decisions were also made. They weren’t my decisions. Sarfaraz and Umar Gul were removed, and I was asked to come in and take over. So those are questions that are not for me to answer,” he concluded.
