Cricket-Ex-captains question Pakistan board's 'panic-button' squad shake-up

The Pakistan Cricket Board's decision to ‌axe ​seven players and the head coach after two crushing defeats by England triggered a furious backlash from former captains and coaches who branded the shake-up as panic-driven chaos. The PCB said ‌it was sending former captains Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha home while Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was appointed as the head coach of the test team in April, was replaced by the country's white-ball coach, Mike Hesson.

Pakistan lost the first test against England ‌by an innings and 103 runs and the second by 194 runs to go 2-0 down in the three-match series, ‌failing to score more than 200 in all four innings. Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad were also sent home and the replacements include players who have either played a handful of tests or none at all.

"I'm trying to convince myself this is all OK, but it is ⁠not," former ​captain and ex-PCB chairman Ramiz Raja ⁠told BBC Radio. "It just shows Pakistan cricket has hit a panic button."

Former all-rounder Shahid Afridi said he saw no logic or reasoning for selecting white-ball ⁠players for a test series. "Even the replacements make no sense - T20 players have been included for a Test match in England?" Afridi wrote ​on X.

"What is this thinking and approach? Why has the coach been axed after five test matches? This is ⁠the most shocking decision ever by a selection committee which includes so many experienced selectors." The selection committee includes former captain Misbah-ul-Haq, who has offered his resignation ⁠which ​the PCB has yet to accept, according to Cricinfo.

'ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS' Mickey Arthur, who coached Pakistan from 2016 to 2019, said the PCB had made "absolutely ridiculous decisions" ahead of the third test next week, which Pakistan must win to avoid a series ⁠whitewash.

"This is the reason they are in the mess they are because they constantly chop and change players, coaches and selectors ⁠and there in no stability," ⁠he wrote. "Planning, stability and structure = consistent performance!"

Former England batter Kevin Pietersen could not resist a quip, saying new captain Babar Azam would have a tough time listing the team's changes at the ‌toss. "Maybe the toss ‌should start the night before?" he wrote.