Coach fired midway through the series, 7 cricketers dropped - what's going on in Pakistan cricket!

The coach was sacked midway through the Test series, seven cricketers were sent back home and seven new players were brought in to replace them – such dramatic changes in Pakistan cricket seem to be going on unabated. What is most surprising is that five of the seven new players have yet to make their Test debut.

Sarfraz Ahmed has lost his head coach’s job after just six Tests. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had been grooming him for the future for a long time.

A few months before his retirement in March this year, Sarfraz was given the responsibility of overseeing the activities of the Pakistan Shaheens and the Under-19 team in November last year. His responsibilities included player development, coordination with the coaching staff and identifying and developing long-term talent.

Then, in December, he was sent to the United Arab Emirates as a consultant for the Under-19 Asia Cup. The PCB’s confidence in Sarfraz also increased as Pakistan defeated India to become the champion. In that vein, he was given the responsibility of coaching the national team in the Test series against Bangladesh in May. But that chapter also ended before completing six Tests.

Pakistan's decision has come as a surprise not only to the coaching staff but also to the cricketers.

Salman Agha, who led Pakistan in the first Test of the series against England, was dropped in the next Test. This time, he has also been included in the list of seven cricketers to be sent back home. However, he played a crucial innings of 71 runs in the second innings of the Sylhet Test against Bangladesh in May.

Even more surprising is the case of Ali Usman. After taking six wickets in the second Test in Port of Spain against the West Indies, this left-arm spinner took five wickets in an innings when he got a chance in the Headingley Test against England. He also took five wickets in the warm-up match.

However, he is now being sent back home after taking only one wicket in the Lord's Test. However, England played with four pacers in that match and the pacers dominated the entire match. The question now is how reasonable it is to expect too much from a spinner in such a situation.

Pakistan's decision has also sparked a storm of criticism in the cricket world. Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen expressed his surprise on social media and wrote, "I can't believe Pakistan is making so many changes and sending players home."

Former Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur also called the decision "ridiculous." According to him, there is no stability in Pakistan cricket due to the constant changes in players, coaches and selectors.

Former Pakistani all-rounder Shoaib Malik also expressed his anger over the issue. According to him, it is disrespectful to send cricketers playing for the national team "back on the first flight" in the middle of the tour. His question is - why should accountability start with cricketers who were either on the bench or had only played two-three Tests? Rather, the decision-makers of the entire system should be held accountable.

Former captain Shahid Afridi has a bigger question. According to him, it is not logical to take T20 cricketers for a Test in conditions like England. At the same time, he also expressed surprise at the decision to remove the coach after just six Tests.

All in all, the question now in Pakistan cricket is one - was such a big change really needed so quickly to overcome the team's failure, or is the repeated change of decision only deepening their crisis?