Mohammad Yousaf Critiques Pakistan Coaches Amidst Batting Struggles
Yousaf Criticizes Coaching Staff for Batting Issues
Former Pakistani cricketer Mohammad Yousaf has expressed strong criticism towards the coaching staff of the national team, attributing the batting struggles to their inability to address technical flaws. He noted that these deficiencies have been glaringly evident from matches against Bangladesh to England, leaving Pakistan cricket in a precarious position.
As Pakistan faces a potential series loss against England, they find themselves in a challenging situation, having lost three wickets by lunchtime at Lord's while attempting to chase down 389 runs. Notable moments included captain Babar Azam being dismissed for a low score by Jofra Archer and Abdullah Shafique falling victim to Ollie Robinson's exceptional bowling.
In a post on X, Yousaf, who amassed 7,530 runs in 90 Test matches, criticized the coaches for not allowing players like Babar to rectify their issues, which has contributed to the decline of Pakistan cricket. He warned that if players fail to discern whom to heed, their careers may be cut short.
"A few years ago, I raised concerns about this, but unfortunately, some so-called coaches around Babar Azam and others prevented him from addressing issues that could have been easily fixed. This negligence has led to the decline we witness today. These coaches are detrimental to the game, lacking vision and hindering progress, even for the most gifted players," he stated.
"If our cricketers do not learn who to listen to, their careers will end prematurely. The poor techniques of our players have been brutally exposed from Bangladesh to England. What could have been corrected long ago has now become a significant weakness, leaving Pakistan cricket vulnerable on the international stage. #EngvPak #nasserhussain," he added.
Pakistan's Challenges in the Lord's Test
At the conclusion of the first session on day four at Lord's, Pakistan found themselves at 53/3, needing 389 runs to secure a win and level the series.
Pakistan won the toss and chose to bowl first, dismissing England for 290 runs, with notable contributions from Jamie Smith (61) and Jordan Cox (55). Mohammed Abbas (4/73) and Mohammad Ali (3/86) were the standout bowlers. In their first innings, Pakistan struggled, being bowled out for just 110 runs, with Azan Awais (46) being the only player to score over 20 runs. Ollie Robinson (4/11) and Jofra Archer (3/26) delivered impressive spells, giving England a 180-run lead.
In the second innings, while Mohammed Abbas claimed five wickets, England scored 208 runs, highlighted by a half-century from Dan Lawrence (54). This set Pakistan a daunting target of 389 runs to level the series.
Pakistan's Dismal Test Record Since 2024
Since 2024, Pakistan has played 17 Tests, winning only five and losing 12. This includes a series defeat to Bangladesh at home and their first-ever series loss to Bangladesh away this year. Their performance at home has also been lackluster, with only a comeback victory over England in 2024 to show for their efforts.
Currently, Pakistan sits at the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 standings, with two wins and five losses. They had also finished last in the previous WTC cycle (2025-29), recording five wins against nine losses.