Pakistan’s Test cricket crisis has deepened following their heavy defeat to England at Lord’s, with the team reportedly heading towards a major coaching shake-up before the third and final Test at Edgbaston.
White-ball head coach Mike Hesson is reportedly set to oversee the Test side after Pakistan’s 194-run defeat at Lord’s on Sunday handed England an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
According to a report by Geo News, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has asked Hesson to look after the red-ball team, with the New Zealander expected to be present in the dressing room for the Edgbaston Test, which begins on September 9 in Birmingham. Hesson had initially traveled to London with Pakistan’s Director of High Performance, Aqib Javed. However, following the team’s latest setback, his role has reportedly been expanded to include the Test squad.
The development has also raised fresh questions over the future of former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed, who is currently the Test head coach. Geo News reported that Sarfaraz could be removed from his position after the England tour, with Hesson potentially taking over the Test coaching responsibilities.
“It is highly likely that after the ODI and T20 series, Mike Hesson will also take over the coaching responsibilities of the Test team, and Sarfaraz Ahmed will be removed from coaching the Test team after the England tour,” the report stated.
The PCB has not officially confirmed Hesson’s reported involvement with the Test side or indicated whether he will take over the role permanently. It also remains unclear whether his presence at Edgbaston would be a one-off arrangement or the first step towards a wider restructuring of Pakistan’s coaching setup.
If Hesson eventually takes charge across formats, Pakistan could have one head coach overseeing both the red-ball and white-ball teams. For now, however, no such decision has been officially announced.
The reported coaching changes come amid further alterations to Pakistan’s Test squad. Batters Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Rizwan have been sent home following the Lord’s defeat, while Saim Ayub and Arafat Minhas have been called up for the final Test.
Pakistan’s batting has been one of the biggest concerns during the series. The visitors were bowled out for 194 while chasing 389 in the second innings at Lord’s, with Saud Shakeel providing their strongest resistance before being caught on the boundary for 97.
Shakeel’s dismissal ended Pakistan’s hopes of an unlikely fightback and left him agonisingly short of a century. His 97 is the highest individual score by either team in the series so far.
England needed only 18 wickets to complete their 194-run victory, with Imam unable to bat again after suffering a calf injury on the opening day.
The victory also gave England their first Test series win since December 2024 and extended Pakistan’s struggles with the bat. Sarfaraz had previously admitted that the team’s inability to spend enough time at the crease was a major concern.
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