Ex-Pakistan Coach Calls Out PCB, Brutally Exposes Reason Behind Pakistan's Decline: "Absolutely Ridiculous"
Former Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur expressed his frustration towards the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after seven Pakistan players were sacked midway through the England Test series.
- Written by Roddur Mookherjee
- Updated: September 02, 2026 02:54 pm IST
- Former Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur slammed the PCB after they sacked 7 Pakistan players from the England tour
- "Absolutely ridiculous decisions by the PCB - this is the reason they are in the mess," Arthur posted
- "Planning, stability and structure = Consistent performance!!" he added.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)'s dramatic decision to sack Pakistan's Test coaching staff and send seven players home midway through the series against England has left the cricket world in shock, and invited criticism from experts and fans alike. Former Australia and Pakistan head coach Mickey Arthur joined the list of critics on Tuesday, slamming the PCB for their drastic step. Arthur, who coached Pakistan from 2016 to 2019, accused the PCB's instability for causing the "mess" that Pakistan cricket finds itself in.
With Pakistan 2-0 down in the ongoing three-match Test tour against England, the PCB sent seven players from the squad home, including star names like Mohammed Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq and Salman Ali Agha.
Pakistan's Test head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also released, and were replaced by their white-ball counterparts Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke.
Mickey Arthur made his frustration towards the PCB clear in a post on social media.
Absolutely ridiculous decisions by the PCB-this is the reason they are in the mess they are because they constantly chop and change players,coaches and selectors and there in no stability!
— Mickey Arthur (@Mickeyarthurcr1) August 31, 2026
Planning,stability and structure =Consistent performance!! https://t.co/LQzN94hf0Z
"Absolutely ridiculous decisions by the PCB - this is the reason they are in the mess they are in, because they constantly chop and change players, coaches and selectors, and there is no stability!" Arthur posted on his official X account.
"Planning, stability and structure = Consistent performance!!" he added.
Arthur had enjoyed a fairly successful stint as Pakistan's head coach between 2016 and 2019, leading the Test and T20I teams to the No. 1 spot in the ICC rankings, and the ODI team to glory in the Champions Trophy 2017.
Incidentally, Sarfaraz Ahmed - Pakistan's recently-sacked Test coach - was the captain of the Champions Trophy-winning side under Arthur.
Updated Pakistan Test squad for Birmingham Test: Babar Azam (captain), Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas, Azan Awais, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Ali, Muhammad Imran, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Muhammad Ghazi Ghori (wicketkeeper), Razaullah, Saad Baig (wicketkeeper), Saim Ayub, Sajid Khan, Saud Shakeel, Shan Masood and Ubaid Shah