Misbah ul Haq (AFP Photo)
Former Pakistan Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq has criticised the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for what he described as a reactive approach to handling the national team, following the decision to send seven players and two coaches back home during the ongoing Test tour of England. Misbah, who recently resigned as Pakistan’s national selector, stepped down shortly after the PCB announced its decision earlier this week. The development came after the board issued show-cause notices to every member of the selection committee. The PCB’s decision saw head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul released from the Test squad, while seven players were also removed. Pakistan subsequently sent its white-ball players to England for the final match of the series.
Misbah alleges double standards
Speaking on a television show, Misbah questioned the way local coaches are treated compared with their foreign counterparts in Pakistan cricket. According to the former captain, overseas coaches are given greater authority while facing considerably less scrutiny when results do not go their way. "It is a fact that local and foreign coaches are treated differently in Pakistan cricket. Local coaches have to face more scrutiny and criticism when compared to foreign coaches," he said. Misbah made it clear that his criticism was not directed at the appointment of overseas coaches themselves. Instead, he argued that the wider cricketing ecosystem tends to give foreign coaches an easier ride. "I don't think there is anything wrong in having foreign coaches but what bothers me is we (fans, critics, media, PCB) tend to have a soft corner for foreign coaches," he added. He further explained that the imbalance extends to the level of responsibility placed on coaches. "We tend to give foreign coaches more authority and power and he is held less responsible if the team performs poorly. In contrast, local coaches always facing scrutiny from everyone."
'We shouldn't panic'
Misbah also took aim at the PCB’s decision-making process, warning that sudden changes made under pressure could create more problems for a team already in need of stability. He argued that Pakistan cannot afford to repeatedly overhaul its setup without first conducting a proper assessment of performances and identifying the reasons behind its struggles. "We shouldn't panic and do cosmetic surgery because of pressure. We need to analyse performances and the situation and then decide how to move forward," Misbah said. The former selector added: "Unfortunately, we are used to taking reactive decisions in Pakistan cricket." For Misbah, the solution requires patience and a long-term strategy rather than immediate responses to poor results.
Misbah points to India's model
The former Pakistan captain also compared the country's cricketing structure with India's, highlighting the gradual development of the Indian system since the 1990s. He pointed to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as examples from the Indian setup and argued that India's success against Pakistan has been helped by greater exposure and stronger preparation for pressure situations. "Our youngsters are playing too much white-ball cricket and their exposure to red-ball cricket is limited. Not enough four-day cricket. This means they have more chances of cracking under pressure.
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"India took time to process and develop and they made gradual investments in their system after the 90s. There is no quick fix to the system." Misbah's comments come at a turbulent time for Pakistan cricket, with the PCB making major changes to the Test setup even before the England tour has concluded. His message, however, was that lasting improvement will require consistency, greater red-ball exposure for young players and sustained investment rather than repeated reactions to short-term setbacks.
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