Pakistan cricket has rarely been short of drama, but the coaching seat has become one of the most unstable positions in the game. In just over three years, the Pakistan Test team has gone through six different coaches, with another change now adding to a long list of sudden exits and short-term appointments.
The latest chapter came after Pakistan’s series defeat in England, with red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed removed midway through the series. White-ball coach Mike Hesson has now stepped in to take charge of the Test side for the remainder of the World Test Championship cycle.
It is another change in a setup that has struggled to find continuity. Coaches arrive with plans, players adapt to new ideas, and just as a system begins to take shape, another change at the top resets everything.
Pakistan National Cricket Team: Six Coaches, Six Different Stories
The revolving door began with Grant Bradburn, who took charge in May 2023. His tenure lasted around six months and included a 2-0 Test series victory in Sri Lanka. Pakistan, however, endured a disappointing campaign at the 2023 ODI World Cup, finishing outside the semi-final places. Bradburn was subsequently removed as part of a wider management shake-up.
- Grant Bradburn — May 2023 to November 2023
- Major Test result: 2-0 series win vs Sri Lanka
- Major setback: Group-stage exit at 2023 ODI World Cup
Bradburn was replaced by Mohammad Hafeez, who took on a broader team director and coaching role in November 2023. His tenure lasted only around three months and was dominated by difficult overseas assignments.
Pakistan were beaten 3-0 by Australia in the Test series before suffering a 4-1 T20I series defeat to New Zealand. Hafeez’s time at the helm ended in February 2024.
- Mohammad Hafeez — November 2023 to February 2024
- Major Test result: 0-3 series loss vs Australia
- Major T20I result: 1-4 series loss vs New Zealand
Jason Gillespie’s Eight-Month Test Run
The next major appointment was Jason Gillespie, with the former Australia fast bowler arriving in April 2024 with the task of rebuilding Pakistan’s Test cricket.
His tenure began on a high. Pakistan secured a 2-0 Test series victory in Bangladesh, giving Gillespie an impressive start. The momentum did not last.
Pakistan were beaten 3-0 in Australia, while their home Test campaign against England also proved difficult. By December 2024, Gillespie was gone, bringing his Pakistan coaching stint to an end after roughly eight months.
- Jason Gillespie — April 2024 to December 2024
- Major Test result: 2-0 series win vs Bangladesh
- Major setback: 0-3 series loss vs Australia
The coach who had begun with a historic away series win was out of the job within the same calendar year.
Azhar Mahmood and Another Short-Term Appointment
Azhar Mahmood followed in June 2025 during another transitional period for Pakistan cricket. His tenure covered a mixed schedule involving both red-ball and white-ball cricket.
Pakistan endured inconsistent results during his time in charge, including a home series loss and struggles in subcontinental tri-series competition. By December 2025, another coaching change had taken place.
- Azhar Mahmood — June 2025 to December 2025
- Tenure: Around six months
- Major theme: Transition and inconsistent results
Once again, Pakistan had moved on before a coach could establish a long-term structure.
Sarfaraz Ahmed Lasts Just Four Months
The latest change came with Sarfaraz Ahmed, who was appointed in April 2026 to help steady Pakistan’s Test side. His tenure lasted only around four months.
The blow came during the England tour, where Pakistan lost the opening two Tests to fall 0-2 behind in the series. With the series already decided, the Pakistan Cricket Board opted to make another change, removing Sarfaraz along with bowling coach Umar Gul.
- Sarfaraz Ahmed — April 2026 to August 2026
- Tenure: Around four months
- England Test series: 0-2
- Outcome: Removed during the tour
That means Pakistan have now moved through six Test coaching appointments in just over three years — an average of roughly one change every seven months.
Mike Hesson: Can He Finally Break the Cycle?
Mike Hesson now steps into one of the most demanding jobs in Pakistan cricket. He was officially announced as Pakistan’s white-ball head coach by the Pakistan Cricket Board on May 13, 2025, with his tenure officially taking effect on May 26, 2025. Now, Hesson will take charge of the Test side from September 2026 and will be expected to guide the team through the remainder of the WTC cycle.
During his limited-overs tenure, his teams experienced a mixed bag of results across various bilateral assignments and tournaments:
- T20I Tour of Bangladesh (July 2025): Lost the 3-match T20I series 1–2.
- USA & West Indies White-Ball Tour (August 2025): Won the T20I series 2–1, but lost the 3-match ODI series 1–2.
- T20 Asia Cup (September 2025): Guided Pakistan to the final, securing wins against lower-ranked sides like Oman and UAE, but suffered a defeat against a full-strength India side.
- Pakistan Tri-Series (November 2025): Played against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, reaching the final and defeating Sri Lanka by 6 wickets to win the series.
- White-Ball Tour of Sri Lanka (January 2026): Drew the T20I series 1–1 (winning the opener, losing the decider, with one match washed out).
- Home T20I Series vs. Australia (January–February 2026): Secured a 3–0 whitewash against Australia, though the visitors fielded a depleted, under-strength squad.
- ODI Series vs. Bangladesh (March 2026): Fought back to level the series after securing a dominant 127-run victory in the second match.
