Mike Hesson says Pakistan are used to ‘chaos’ after mid-series upheaval

Pakistan interim Test coach Mike Hesson says his players are accustomed to “a little bit of chaos” after a turbulent week in which Sarfaraz Ahmed was dismissed as head coach and 14 squad changes were made before the third Test against England.

Pakistan lost the opening match by an innings and 103 runs at Headingley before suffering a 194-run defeat at Lord’s. The second loss prompted significant intervention from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), with the team now preparing for the final Test in Birmingham on Wednesday.

White-ball coach Hesson was flown in to take charge of the Test side, replacing Sarfaraz Ahmed during the series. Seven players were sent home, while seven others were called up for the deciding match.

The changes have created a difficult environment for the squad, with players arriving and departing as the team prepares for a Test that England won’t want to surrender after taking a 2-0 series lead.

“The last couple of days have been challenging for being in a hotel with some players coming, some players going and then the arrival of everyone,” Hesson said.

“The guys are probably more used to a little bit of chaos than I am. There is no doubt they have been disappointed, incredibly disappointed.

“We have had to park that and go ‘righto, where to from here?’ They have been really good over the past couple of days.

“I don’t think anyone wants this to happen in the middle of a series.”

Hesson acknowledged that the events had been particularly demanding because they unfolded while Pakistan were still competing in an ongoing Test series. The team must now put aside the heavy defeats and the disruption surrounding the coaching staff and squad in order to focus on the match in Birmingham.

The defeat at Headingley left Pakistan under pressure from the start of the series. Their prospects worsened at Lord’s, where England completed another convincing victory by 194 runs. Those results led the PCB to act before the third Test, bringing in Hesson and reshaping the group available for selection.

For Hesson, the immediate task has been helping the players adjust to the new arrangements after what he described as a challenging couple of days. His comments suggest that, despite the disappointment within the squad, the players have responded positively to the need to reset.

Pakistan will therefore enter the Birmingham Test attempting to avoid a clean sweep after England established a 2-0 advantage. With seven new players called up and seven others sent home, the final match will also offer a new-look squad the chance to respond to the upheaval that has surrounded the team since the defeat at Lord’s.