Former Pakistan batter Mohammad Yousuf criticizes PCB's squad and coaching changes during England tour

Mohsin Naqvi (PTI Photo)

Former Pakistan batter Mohammad Yousuf has questioned the major changes made to the Test squad and coaching staff during the ongoing England tour, saying the decisions appear to be linked to the wider instability that has affected Pakistan cricket for years. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), led by Mohsin Naqvi, made sweeping changes after the team went 2-0 down in the three-Test series. Seven players and two coaching staff members were sent home ahead of the third Test.

Yousuf questions PCB decisions

Yousuf suggested the changes were not based solely on performances and said Pakistan cricket has repeatedly been caught up in internal disagreements and controversies. “The recent decision by the authorities to recall players and coaching staff from the ongoing tour does not appear to be only performance related,” Yousuf wrote on X. “After all, we are not sending legends like Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Inzamam-ul-Haq, or Saeed Anwar as replacements. Instead, this move reflects the familiar cycle of internal chaos, differences of opinion, and controversies that have long haunted Pakistan cricket,” he added. The former batter, who played 90 Tests and scored more than 7,500 runs for Pakistan, said the problems have continued since the team’s 1992 World Cup triumph. “Since the glory of the 1992 World Cup, such turbulence has resurfaced time and again, eroding stability and distracting from the game itself,” he said.

Pakistan face England changes

Yousuf’s comments came after Pakistan released Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad from the Test squad. Pakistan lost the second Test by 194 runs at Lord’s after suffering an innings-and-103-run defeat in the series opener at Headingley. The PCB also removed red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul, with white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke taking charge for the remainder of the tour. Yousuf warned that repeated off-field turmoil could hurt the team’s progress and weaken supporters’ confidence.

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“We have endured such turmoil in different forms many times before, each episode leaving scars on the team’s progress and the fans’ faith,” he wrote. “The lesson is clear! Only strong performances and consistent positive results can silence the noise. Pakistan cricket must focus on the field, not the boardroom, if it is to restore credibility and inspire confidence among fans. Success remains the most effective antidote,” Yousuf concluded.

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