‘We don’t send legends as replacements’: Former Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf lambasts PCB amid ongoing chaos

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

Yousuf questions the PCB’s decision

Yousuf suggested that the changes were not based on performances alone and said that Pakistan cricket has repeatedly been embroiled in internal disagreements and controversies.“The recent decision by the authorities to recall the players and coaching staff from the ongoing tour does not appear to be purely performance-related,” Yousuf wrote on X.“After all, we are not fielding 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 controversy that has long dogged Pakistan cricket,” he added.The former batsman, who has played 90 Tests and scored more than 7,500 runs for Pakistan, said problems have persisted since the team’s 1992 World Cup triumph.“Since the glory of the 1992 World Cup, such turbulence has surfaced again and again, disrupting stability and distracting from the game itself,” he said.

Pakistan face changes in England

Yousuf’s comments came after Pakistan dropped 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 unrest off the field could damage the team’s progress and undermine the confidence of fans.“We’ve endured such turmoil in various 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 needs to focus on the field, not the boardroom, if it is to restore credibility and inspire confidence among fans. Success remains the most effective antidote,” concluded Yousuf.