Just a day after PCB announced sweeping changes to the Edgbaston Test squad midway through the series, Misbah-ul-Haq handed in his resignation as a member of Pakistan’s national selection committee and batting consultant at NCA. The changes included releasing seven players as well as sacking both head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umer Gul.
PCB’s soft corner for foreign coaches
Both coaches were replaced with their white-ball coaching counterparts, Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke respectively. Hesson, at the time of his appointment as red-ball coach, was in Japan gearing up for the Asian Games and largely unaware that in a few hours’ time he would be packing to leave for England to coach a Test team.
Besides the absurdity of the situation, Misbah believes the board has more margin for error for foreign coaches than local ones.
“It is a fact that local and foreign coaches are treated differently in Pakistan cricket. Local coaches have to face more scrutiny and criticism when compared to foreign coaches,” Misbah said on a television show. “I don’t think there is anything wrong with having foreign coaches, but what bothers me is we tend to have a soft corner for foreign coaches,” he added.
Reactive decisions
The incoming and interim coach Hesson confirmed that the changes have left players more disheartened than before. This is what Misbah mimicked as well. Changes, he said, should only be made for long-term aims and after deep analysis of the situation. The PCB apparently did neither, and as Misbah said, this was hardly an exception for the board.
“It becomes very difficult for our players to regain form and confidence.”
“We shouldn’t panic and do cosmetic surgery because of pressure. We need to analyse performances and the situation and then decide how to move forward,” Misbah said.
“Unfortunately, we are used to taking reactive decisions in Pakistan cricket.”
Pakistan have lost 15 of their last 20 Test games. Since 2023, they have only won two away Test games. In addition to that, they are eyeing a bottom-place finish in the World Test Championship table for the second year running. Misbah maintains that these struggles with form have a systematic ring to them, being caused by a lack of red-ball practice for youngsters.
“Our youngsters are playing too much white-ball cricket and their exposure to red-ball cricket is limited. Not enough four-day cricket. This means they have more chances of cracking under pressure.
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