RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesPakistan white-ball coach Mike Hesson to join England tour amid disastrous Test series performance: Report originally appeared on Cricket News .
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Mike Hesson will join Pakistan's Test squad in England as their batting collapse deepens under head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed.
Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer combined for seven wickets, bowling Pakistan out for just 110 at Lord's.
Sarfaraz admitted his batters aren't spending enough time at the crease, despite England's lead ballooning to 261 runs.
SOS in England! Pakistan to fly in white-ball coach Mike Hesson to rescue disastrous Test tour
Pakistan's Test crisis in England has grown serious enough to prompt a fresh intervention, with white-ball head coach Mike Hesson reportedly set to travel and join the squad as their fortunes continue to unravel at Lord's.
England seized firm control of the second Test, building a commanding 261-run lead by the end of day two.
Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer did most of the damage, sharing seven wickets between them as Pakistan folded for just 110 in their first innings, with a deficit of 180 runs. Adding to Pakistan's woes, opener Imam-ul-Haq couldn't bat at all after straining his calf while fielding on the opening day.
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Shan Masood stepped in to open in Imam's absence and edged behind after failing to handle a full delivery clocked at a brisk 146kph. Abdullah Shafique's ordeal began just as roughly, as he was greeted with a 92mph bouncer on his very first ball that struck him on the hand as he ducked for cover.
Captain Babar Azam, back in the side after missing the opener through injury, managed only 8 before edging Josh Tongue behind to Jordan Cox at third slip. Robinson then removed both Saud Shakeel and Mohammad Rizwan lbw on review, either side of a brief rain interruption.
With Imam unable to bat at all, Pakistan's innings ended after just 37.2 overs, with just 110 runs on the board.
Now, according to Geo News, Hesson will fly out and join the team in England to help steady a side that's badly lost its way in the longer format.
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What did Sarfaraz Ahmed say about Pakistan's batting struggles?
Pakistan coach Sarfaraz Ahmed didn't shy away from addressing the batting collapse directly, admitting the team's inability to occupy the crease has become a recurring problem.
“See, you can’t shy away from the fact that our team is getting bowled out in 30 or 35 overs,” Sarfaraz said.
“Obviously we have discussed this and the batters also have an idea about the fact that we are not spending enough time on the pitch.
“Yes, conditions are definitely challenging for the batters but whichever batter spends more time in the middle and plays 30 to 40 balls [will benefit]. The first 30-40 balls are difficult but if we can get past that, we will be in a better position."
He was also asked whether Pakistan's heavy focus on T20 cricket over the past year, driven by the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup, had contributed to their red-ball struggles. While acknowledging it as a factor, he stopped short of using it as an excuse.
“It is a big factor. Last year, we played nearly 40 or 50 T20 games. But I won’t say that is the reason - as professional players, we need to adjust [between formats]," he said.
Despite England's commanding 261-run lead on a pitch that's clearly favoured bowlers throughout, Sarfaraz insisted he hadn't given up hope of a turnaround. "I am still hopeful. A lot of unexpected things happen in cricket. If we can bowl them out within the next 70-80 runs and chase a target under 350, you never know," he said.
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Could Mike Hesson eventually take over as Test head coach?
Bringing in Hesson mid-series raises an obvious question about whether this arrangement could evolve into something more permanent, particularly given how badly Pakistan's red-ball fortunes have deteriorated under Sarfaraz.
Hesson brings serious international coaching pedigree, having previously guided New Zealand to sustained success, and his tactical experience could help Pakistan address some of the batting fragility on display at Lord's.
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That said, replacing Sarfaraz feels premature based on this series alone. Test batting collapses often stem from deeper structural issues, technique, domestic pitch conditions, and format overload, rather than purely coaching shortcomings, and Sarfaraz himself acknowledged as much. Bringing Hesson in as additional support makes sense as an immediate fix, but a full coaching change mid-crisis risks looking reactive rather than strategic.
If Pakistan's batting struggles persist beyond this series, though, a serious conversation about restructuring the coaching setup, potentially with Hesson taking a bigger red-ball role, would become far more justified. For now, treating this as reinforcement rather than replacement seems the more sensible path, giving Sarfaraz room to address the issues he's already identified before any bigger decisions get made.
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