‘Babar Azam’s next target?’: Former Pakistan captain hits out at PCB over England Test chaos

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is facing renewed criticism over its handling of the senior men’s national team, with former captain Rashid Latif accusing the management of effectively running the side through “remote control” and questioning why coaches and captains are not given more powers.The latest criticism comes after the PCB carried out an unprecedented overhaul mid-series, sending seven players and two coaches back to Pakistan following defeats in the first two Tests against England.The sweeping changes have added to the uncertainty surrounding Pakistan’s Test set-up, with several former players and prominent voices in the game questioning the timing and extent of the PCB’s decision.

Rashid Latif questions PCB’s treatment of coaches

Pakistan were already under considerable pressure after losing the opening two Tests against England. However, rather than keeping the same group for the rest of the series, the PCB opted for a major change.Senior players Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha were among those sent home. Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed was also removed from the squad, with white-ball coach Mike Hesson taking charge of the third and final Test in Birmingham.Latif now questioned why Sarfaraz and bowling coach Umar Gul were sent to the UK if the PCB intended to exercise such a high degree of control over the team.As for X, the former Pakistan captain also mentioned the departure of Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten, both of whom previously stepped down after disagreements over the level of authority and freedom available to them.Latif also brought captain Babar Azam into the discussion and suggested that if the captain was not following the team’s preferred direction, the PCB should have removed him instead of sending the coaches back home.“If the team had to be controlled by remote control, then why were Sarfaraz and Umar Gul sent? Why were Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie stripped of their selection powers? And if captain Babar Azam was not listening, the captain should have been removed – so why were Sarfaraz and Umar Gul sent back? Is Babar Azam the next target?” Latif wrote on X.

PCB faces backlash over seven-player overhaul

The PCB’s decision to make such sweeping changes in the middle of a Test series has attracted criticism from several prominent figures in Pakistan cricket.Michael Atherton, Nasser Hussain, Ramiz Raja, Basit Ali and Shahid Afridi have all questioned the move, with critics saying such drastic changes could create even more instability in an already struggling Pakistan side.However, the PCB is defending its decision.Chairman Mohsin Naqvi had earlier supported the overhaul, insisting the board took the tough step because it believed it was necessary to improve the team.

Pakistan’s Test struggles continue

The dramatic changes come against the backdrop of Pakistan’s long-running struggles in the longest format.Pakistan are currently at the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) rankings and have never been real contenders for a place in the WTC finals during the current cycle.The latest campaign will also mark the fourth consecutive WTC cycle in which Pakistan have finished in the bottom half of the table, highlighting the extent of their problems in Test cricket.The defeat in England only intensified the scrutiny surrounding the direction of the team and the PCB’s decision-making process.

Another captain change under scrutiny

Pakistan’s Test leadership also underwent another change this year.Earlier in 2026, the PCB replaced Shan Masood with Babar Azam as Test captain after Bangladesh completed the series with a 2–0 win over Pakistan.Babar’s return to the leadership role initially brought some stability as Pakistan drew their two-Test series against the West Indies.However, the team’s fortunes quickly deteriorated once the side arrived in England. After losing the opening two Tests, the PCB responded with a drastic overhaul of the squad, sending home seven players and two members of the coaching staff.The decision has now raised fresh questions about who actually makes the key decisions in Pakistan cricket, with Latif’s comments adding another layer to the growing controversy surrounding the board’s dealings with the national team.