Pakistan's Drastic Squad Shake-Up Signals a New Test Era

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-09-01

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made a dramatic move, sending seven players home and bringing in five uncapped names ahead of the third and final Test against England at Edgbaston. This major shake-up comes on the heels of a heavy 194-run defeat at Headingley, which sealed a 2-0 series win for England and left the final match as a dead rubber. But it's not just the players. The coaching staff has been overhauled too. Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul have lost their positions as head coach and bowling coach for the Test side. Stepping into the breach are Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke, who already run the white-ball setup. They'll now take charge of the Test team for the Birmingham fixture starting September 9th. ### The Seven Players Sent Packing So, who's out? The list includes some notable names: - Mohammad Rizwan - Imam-ul-Haq - Salman Agha - Ali Usman - Aamer Jamal - Awais Zafar - Khurram Shahzad Rizwan's exit is particularly surprising. His glovework on the tour was strong, but his batting form fell off a cliff. He managed just 7 and 1 at Lord's, followed by 12 and 41 at Headingley. Over three innings during the West Indies leg of the tour, he scored only 41 runs total. Imam's removal follows a grade-1 calf tear he sustained on the opening day at Lord's. He stayed off the field for both Pakistan innings and later appeared for gentle throwdowns with his leg strapped. Pundits sharply criticized the decision, calling it a move made purely for appearances. Then there's Ali Usman. His departure really stands out. He picked up his maiden Test five-for in the second innings at Headingley, becoming the first visiting spinner to do so at that ground since 1972. And yet, he still got the axe. ### New Faces Enter the Fray Saim Ayub returns to the Test fold for the first time since an ankle fracture ended his last appearance back in January 2025. He's played only two first-class matches since then, but he's currently in form with the Jamaica Kingsmen in the CPL, scoring a century just last week. Joining him are five uncapped players: Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa, and Razaullah. Minhas is the only one with any international experience, having made his ODI debut against Australia in May and winning a player-of-the-match award on a spin-friendly surface. Saad Baig finished as the top run-scorer in the last Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and becomes the squad's second wicketkeeper. Among the new pace bowlers, Randhawa brings the most first-class experience with 58 appearances, while Razaullah and Imran Jnr have played eight matches each. ### A Coaching Carousel Continues This coaching change feels like part of a troubling pattern. Sarfaraz had held the head coach role for only three series since his appointment in April. Pakistan had already swapped out Asad Shafiq for Mike Smith as batting coach earlier this year, adding to a string of changes across the coaching staff. The Lord's defeat marked Pakistan's 15th loss in their last 20 Tests. The team currently sits at the bottom of the World Test Championship table, which matches their finish in the previous cycle. It's a tough spot for any new leadership to inherit. ### Looking Ahead to Birmingham The revamped Pakistan Test squad for Birmingham includes: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Razaullah, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood, Abdullah Shafique, and Ubaid Shah. It's a bold gamble by the PCB. They're clearing the decks after a disappointing series, banking on fresh talent and new coaching leadership to spark a turnaround. The pressure will be immense in Birmingham, even with the series already lost. This match isn't about the result on the scoreboard anymore—it's about signaling a new direction and building something for the future. Can Hesson and this new-look squad start that process? We'll find out soon enough.