Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul are out, replaced by Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke for the final Test against England.

Pakistan has pressed the panic button, implementing sweeping mid-tour changes to their Test setup in England. The drastic overhaul sees seven players dropped from the squad and two members of the coaching staff replaced, all coming after the team fell to a 0-2 deficit in the three-match series.

This significant reshuffle follows a crushing 194-run defeat at Lord's, a result that gave England an unassailable lead in the series. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made the decision to revamp both the playing personnel and the support structure ahead of the decisive third and final Test, scheduled to begin on September 9 in Birmingham.

The current situation bears a striking resemblance to India's tour of England in 2014, when similar mid-series coaching adjustments were made following a poor Test performance, according to reporting by Yahoo Sports - Top Stories.

Pakistan's Drastic Mid-Tour Overhaul

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) reacted decisively to the team's struggles by recalling head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul back to Pakistan. Their replacements for the upcoming Test are white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke, signaling an immediate shift in leadership for the crucial final match.

In addition to the coaching changes, the PCB also sent home seven players. Wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, opener Imam-ul-Haq, all-rounder Salman Ali Agha, spinner Ali Usman, and fast bowler Khurram Shahzad, many of whom featured in the Lord's Test, have all been dropped from the squad. All-rounder Aamir Jamal and batter Awais Zafar also returned home without getting an opportunity to play a match on the tour.

A Look at Pakistan's Recent Test Struggles

The coaching change for Sarfaraz Ahmed concludes a brief three-month tenure as head coach, during which Pakistan lost five of his six away Tests. This included two defeats against Bangladesh, one against the West Indies, and the two recent losses to England.

Babar Azam's return as Test captain has also yet to yield improved results for the team. He took over the captaincy from Shan Masood in May, managing a 1-1 drawn series against the West Indies before the recent consecutive losses in England. Overall, Pakistan has now recorded a dismal statistic of losing 10 of their last 11 away Test matches, highlighting a persistent challenge for the squad on foreign soil.

India's Mid-Series Coaching Shake-Up in 2014

The situation Pakistan faces echoes India's experience during their 2014 tour of England. India had initially won the second Test at Lord's to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. However, they subsequently suffered heavy defeats in the next three matches, culminating in a humiliating innings and 244-run loss within three days at The Oval in the final Test outing.

Following this comprehensive Test series defeat, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) opted to reshuffle the support staff ahead of the subsequent One Day International (ODI) series against England. Former India captain Ravi Shastri was appointed Director of Cricket, though Duncan Fletcher continued in his role as head coach.

The BCCI also decided to give bowling coach Joe Dawes and fielding coach Trevor Penney a "break" for the ODI series. In their place, Sanjay Bangar, a former Indian all-rounder, and former India fast bowler Bharat Arun joined as assistant coaches, with R. Sridhar stepping in as the new fielding coach. The BCCI stated its rationale as "In their continuing efforts to re-energise the support to the team."

India's ODI Turnaround After Coaching Changes

Despite the Test series disappointment and the mid-tour coaching shake-up, India went on to achieve significant success in the subsequent five-match ODI series. After the first ODI in Bristol was washed out, India secured a decisive 3-1 series victory against England.

The team demonstrated strong performances, winning the next three games consecutively in Cardiff, Nottingham, and Birmingham. They only suffered a defeat in the final ODI match of the series, played in Leeds, marking a positive turnaround after their earlier struggles in the Test format.

Frequently Asked Questions

What changes did Pakistan make to their Test squad?

Pakistan dropped seven players from their Test squad: wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan, opener Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, spinner Ali Usman, fast bowler Khurram Shahzad, all-rounder Aamir Jamal, and batter Awais Zafar.

Who replaced Pakistan's coaching staff in England?

Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were replaced by white-ball head coach Mike Hesson and bowling coach Ashley Noffke for the final Test against England.

How did India perform after their coaching changes in 2014?

After reshuffling their coaching staff and appointing Ravi Shastri as Director of Cricket, India went on to win the subsequent five-match One Day International (ODI) series against England 3-1.