Pakistan coach Mike Hesson breaks silence on mid-England series shake-up, says 'I really don’t know what happened'

Interim red-ball coach Mike Hesson has spoken out about the decision to release seven players from Pakistan's Test squad ahead of the crucial third and final Test against England. Hesson claims he was unaware of the decision, as three senior players - Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, and Imam-ul-Haq - had already left the squad before he took charge.

The PCB made these changes following Pakistan's heavy defeats in the first two Tests against England, which resulted in the series being firmly in England's grasp with a 2-0 lead. Hesson was subsequently appointed to manage the Test side for the Edgbaston match, which begins on September 9. When discussing the release of Rizwan, Agha, and Imam, Hesson emphasized that he was not involved in the decision, stating that the trio had already departed when he was approached to lead the team.

However, he did play a part in the broader reshaping of the squad, releasing other players and bringing in new ones. Hesson, who recently returned from Japan after managing Pakistan's white-ball setup, expressed his intention to create a more balanced squad for the final Test. He focused on developing a bowling attack with variety and included a couple of all-rounders, such as Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal, and untitled players Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran, and Razaullah.