Mike Hesson will serve as interim Test head coach for the remainder of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle, according to reports. This brings clarity to an arrangement that had been in place for roughly two months following a mid-tour reshuffle during Pakistan’s England assignment.
Hesson stepped into the Test coaching role in September 2026 after Sarfaraz Ahmed was removed ahead of the third Test in Birmingham. He was already serving as Pakistan’s white-ball head coach at the time, which meant the change placed him in charge across all three formats on an interim basis. The board communicated the arrangement directly to the playing group.
“Hesson will also be interim head coach for next year’s Test series against New Zealand. The board and head coach have both conveyed this to the players as well,” a source was quoted as saying by Outlook India.
What happens to Hesson’s role after the WTC cycle?
The interim arrangement runs only until the close of the current World Test Championship cycle. South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia are set to host the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, and Hesson’s broader association with Pakistan cricket is tied to that tournament. No permanent appointment to the Test head coach position will therefore be made before that review concludes.
“Hesson’s association with Pakistan cricket will be reviewed after next year’s World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. It will also then be decided who will be the head coach of the Test side for the next cycle of the World Test Championship,” the source said further.
Several former players have raised concerns about the consistency of team combinations across formats under the current setup. The PCB addressed those concerns by clarifying that selection decisions rest with the selection committee and team management, and that Hesson carries no responsibility for those choices.
Babar Azam, who continues as Test captain, operates within a defined brief under this structure. His remit covers getting the most from the 15 or 16 players made available to him by the selectors, with squad composition sitting outside his direct authority.
Where does Pakistan stand in the WTC 2025-27 standings?
Pakistan’s record in the current World Test Championship cycle adds weight to the coaching discussion. Across nine matches so far, the side has managed only two wins against seven defeats, leaving them at the foot of the WTC 2025-27 standings.
