Former wicketkeeper-batter Atiq-uz-Zaman has expressed deep anguish over the current state of the Pakistan men’s team, saying that they are in shambles at the moment due to chaos and mid-tour player and coaching changes during their ongoing Test series in England. Down 2-0 in the three-match series following a heavy 194-run defeat at Lord’s, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made the drastic call to send seven players, head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul back home ahead of the final match starting on September 9 at Edgbaston.
White-ball coaches Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke have taken over red-ball coaching responsibilities, while former captain Misbah-ul-Haq offered his resignation from the selection panel and even left the batting consultant role at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.
The decision to trigger a massive squad overhaul ahead of the dead-rubber third Test sent shockwaves through the cricketing world, as it drew sharp criticism from global experts and commentators, especially with Pakistan’s fortunes across formats on a sharp downward spiral.
“I don’t understand why Khurram Shehzad was dropped or why the spinner (Ali Usman) was sent home after taking the most wickets in the Leeds Test. All of a sudden, now T20 bowlers are brought into the Test squad. Why? Because Mike Hesson has his personal favourites, and he brought those players into Test cricket.
“I don’t understand what’s going on. Pakistan cricket is in shambles at the moment. It really hurts me because, even though I live in England, I am Pakistani at heart. I played for my country and I want them to improve and perform well in different conditions. Pakistan cricket is currently at an all-time low,” Atiq-uz-Zaman told IANS in an exclusive conversation from England.
He was also left bewildered over relieving Sarfaraz and Gul of their duties midway through the series. “There is no justification for it. The same people who selected them are the ones turning around and deselecting them. That means either you made a mistake in the first place, or you are making a mistake right now.
“Look, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul are greats of Pakistan cricket. They’ve won World Cups for Pakistan. Sarfaraz won a World Cup at the U19 level and then won the Champions Trophy as national captain. He deserves respect. Now, I personally didn’t agree with him becoming the Pakistan Test team head coach because he lacked prior coaching experience and qualifications.
“I didn’t support that appointment. But once you make him the coach, you have to back him. Give him a fair chance before you disrespect him and send him home in the middle of a Test series. It is unacceptable. I feel very sorry for Sarfaraz and Umar Gul because I don’t think they did anything wrong. If the players on the field can’t perform, or if you haven’t selected a team capable of performing, what is a coach supposed to do? Let’s see what Mike Hesson does now,” he added.
Turning his attention to the players, Atiq-uz-Zaman directed harsh words at left-handed opener Imam-ul-Haq, who didn’t bat in the Lord’s Test against England after being diagnosed with a grade-1 tear in his left calf. Though Imam came out and attempted some batting practice despite the injury, many called him out for putting out a performance for the media rather than showing courage on the field.
“Look, I won’t speculate on the exact severity of his injury, but in our culture, we are raised to be tough. If you have a Grade 1, 2, or even Grade 3 muscle strain, you still step out there and bat for your team. Even if you get out on the first ball, it doesn’t matter – the public sees that you showed heart, and they respect you for it.
“Instead, he made himself look bad by not batting in either innings, and then walking out in front of the media in shorts with bandages on his leg and heavily limping – even if you can’t run, you can still hit a ball. Look at Glenn Maxwell scoring a double hundred with severe hamstring cramps, or Chris Woakes coming out to bat with a fractured hand. Look at Saleem Malik playing against West Indies fast bowlers with a broken arm.
“Imam-ul-Haq should have walked out to bat. Even if he got out immediately, nobody would have questioned his commitment because he was genuinely injured. But limping around in front of the media after taking criticism the day before just looks like a performance.
“It leaves a bad impression, and I have no sympathy for that behaviour. If you don’t have the heart or bravery for international cricket, you shouldn’t be playing Test matches. Test cricket isn’t just a test of your skills – it’s a test of your character,” he elaborated.
Despite the off-field drama, Atiq-uz-Zaman offered words of encouragement to the players ahead of the final Test at Edgbaston. “To be honest, in Pakistan, players are used to this environment from domestic, U16, and U19 cricket. We are raised in a tough system where you rarely get total freedom or backing, and you always feel like you are playing under threat just to survive. My message to them is: enjoy your cricket, believe in your skill set, do what you can with bat and ball, and leave the rest to God.”
In his parting comments, Atiq-uz-Zaman, who works as a scout for England women’s, Lions and Young Lions, as well as coaches the Germany men’s team, urged the PCB leadership to restructure its approach completely if Pakistan is to rebuild itself as a cricketing nation.
“Hopefully, the PCB chairman changes his approach and brings in someone with genuine expertise and leadership experience to drive real structural change. If you surround the team with quality, professional individuals, they will instill high standards. The talent in Pakistan is undeniably there, but without the right resources and supportive structure, these players cannot reach the next level.”
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