Former Pakistan cricketers question Umar Gul's exclusion from Test coaching setup

KARACHI: Former Pakistan head coach Mudassar Nazar and former captain Mohammad Yousuf have criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) recent decisions, questioning the rationale behind the changes to the Test coaching set-up.

Nazar and Yousuf expressed surprise at the decision to remove former Pakistan fast bowler Umar Gul from the Test coaching set-up, particularly when the bowling unit had been performing well.

“If the bowling was going well, why was Umar Gul removed?” the former cricketers questioned, while criticising the frequent changes being made to Pakistan’s coaching staff and team management.

They said the repeated changes had become a source of embarrassment for Pakistan cricket, adding that the situation had gone beyond the criticism the team previously faced after defeats.

“People used to laugh when Pakistan lost, but now things have gone too far,” they said, pointing out that the number of changes made during an away series was unusually high compared with those normally seen during a home series.

The former cricketers also questioned the team’s attire at a High Commission function, expressing surprise that the players attended the event in what they considered inappropriate clothing.

They noted that the entire team would normally attend such official events wearing the Pakistan tour shirt.

Yousuf further said that recalling players and members of the coaching staff during a tour could not simply be attributed to poor performances, arguing that the decisions once again highlighted disagreements, internal unrest and controversies within Pakistan cricket.

The comments came after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made sweeping changes to the Test set-up following the team’s defeats in the first two Tests against England at Headingley and Lord’s.

The board released seven players from the squad ahead of the third and final Test, including Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Aamer Jamal, Salman Ali Agha and Awais Zafar.

They were replaced by Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal, wicketkeeper-batter Saad Baig, Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jr and Razaullah.

The PCB also made changes to the coaching staff, releasing red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul from their respective roles.

White-ball head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke will oversee the team for the final Test against England.

The third and final Test is scheduled to be played in Birmingham from September 9 to 13, with England having already secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.