ENG vs PAK, 3rd Test: Pakistan coach Mike Hesson broke his silence on being replaced in the role midway through the Test series against England after the PCB released Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul from their coaching duties.
Hesson distanced himself from these decision, claiming that he had no say in those and is focused only on helping the tourists put their best foot forward in the third Test against England, beginning on September 9 in Birmingham.
ENG vs PAK, 3rd Test: “Those are questions that are not for me to answer” – Mike Hesson
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made sweeping changes to not only the squad for the third Test but also the backroom staff. With Sarfaraz and Gul released from the coaching duties, Hesson will take over as head coach, while Ashley Noffke has been appointed as the bowling coach. Meanwhile, Awais Zafar, Aamer Jamal, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Rizwan, Khurram Shahzad and Ali Usman have been released. In their place, Abdullah Fazal, Saim Ayub, Arafat Minhas, Razaullah, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Jnr and Mohammad Imran have been added to the squad. Answering the changes made to the coaching staff, the 51-year-old answered, as quoted by Geo News:
“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.”
“Don’t think anyone wants these sorts of things to happen in the middle of a series” – Mike Hesson
Hesson went on to claim that creating an identity as a Test team requires stability, adding further:
“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. 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.”