Nasser Hussain has criticised Pakistan’s dramatic changes ahead of the final Test against England and feels the cricket board’s decisions have made the team a “laughing stock.”
Pakistan, 2-0 down after heavy defeats at Headingley and Lord’s, have axed seven players for the finale at Edgbaston from September 9, including opener Imam-ul-Haq, wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, spinner Ali Usman and seamer Khurram Shahzad.
Of the seven replacements, only two have played at Test level before in batters Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal.
Sarfaraz Ahmed has been removed as Pakistan head coach with Mike Hesson in charge for the final Test at Edgbaston
Pakistan also removed head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and assistant Umar Gul, with white-ball coach Mike Hesson in charge for the remainder of the tour.
‘This is not not how to build a team’
Hussain, who spoke in frustration during Pakistan’s 194-run loss at Lord’s about how the tourists had faded as a force, said on the latest Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, as he and Michael Atherton were joined by Cricinfo senior editor Osman Samiuddin: “It is classic ‘how you don’t build a team’ and fans deserve a little bit better.
“With the great teams, it’s all about the greater purpose – whether that’s Sir Viv Richards and Sir Clive Lloyd with West Indies bringing the islands together or the great Australia side playing for the baggy green cap under Steve Waugh.
“You create a side by making players feel wanted, so the ignominy of sending senior players home – okay, Rizwan has played a couple of bad shots, but he would give his heart and soul for Pakistan cricket.
“However well they go at Edgbaston, the players and coaches will know that the first time they fail that this may well happen to them.
Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan is another player to have been sent home
“The point of an administration is to alleviate pressure, not put more pressure on. I cannot see how an administration cannot see that. This may be a stroke of genius but it hasn’t worked in the past, so why should it work now?”
How can a director of high performance ‘throw a player under the bus’?
Aaqib Javed, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s director of high performance, told a TV station in his homeland that drastic action had to be taken as “the world is laughing at us because we can’t even compete”.
Javed also launched an astonishing attack on Imam, saying the 30-year-old would face an inquiry after not batting in either innings at Lord’s due to a calf issue.
He said to Geo: “The Imam injury is a big question mark, and a deep disappointment. Players in the past used to get injuries but used to put on casts and still tried [to play].
“We’ll take action against this. How is it possible that a pulled muscle ruled you out of batting in both innings? He should have tried and fought. He’ll have to face an inquiry. I can’t say he faked it, but a muscle pull like that cannot stop you batting altogether.”
Imam faces an inquiry after he did not bat in either innings at Lord’s
Hussain said: “I don’t think after Headingley that the world was laughing at Pakistan.
“My rant at Lord’s about them not fighting back, about India vs Pakistan games being very one-sided and that they were a poor side playing poorly wasn’t laughing at them.
“It was out of frustration of seeing where this great cricketing nation is now. What they have done now is make them into a laughing stock. They have made it worse.”
On the Imam situation, Hussain added: “I cannot believe how a director of high performance can go on telly, rightly or wrongly, and throw a player under the bus. He is either injured or he is not.
“For every other touring side, if we ask how a player is doing, they would say, ‘he has had a scan and will only bat if needed’. The whole handling of the Iman situation is ridiculous. You have to protect your players a little bit.”
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Atherton feels for Pakistan captain Babar
Asked by Hussain whether a win for Pakistan in Birmingham would justify such radical moves, Atherton said: “Not in this instance, no, because of the damage it will do longer term.
“This is no way to manage players and no way to build a long-term vision at all.
“I feel it’s a horrible position for a captain, Babar Azam, to be in – and what kind of authority does he or indeed any captain of Pakistan have in this outfit?
“One understands that captain is not all powerful these days, you’re not going back 30 years ago when they perhaps ran the show, but they have to have some authority within a team.
“Given what’s happened, how do you lead that team now?”
Watch day one of the third Test between England and Pakistan, from Edgbaston, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10am on Wednesday September 9 (11am first ball). Not got Sky? Sky Sports deals or stream contract-free with NOW.
England vs Pakistan – results and schedule
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