Mike Hesson has opened the door to taking up a full-time role with Pakistan’s Test team after serving as interim coach during the recently concluded England series.
Hesson, along with bowling coach Ashley Noffke, was brought in by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after the board made significant changes to the Test squad and coaching setup following the heavy defeat in the Lord’s Test.
The PCB released seven players from the squad and brought in an equal number of replacements, while red-ball coaches Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul were also relieved of their duties.
Hesson was subsequently handed the responsibility of overseeing the Test side on an interim basis for the remainder of the series.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, the 51-year-old was asked whether he would be interested in continuing his involvement with the Test team beyond his current assignment.
Hesson said he would be open to the possibility, highlighting his strong affinity for Test cricket and his belief that Pakistan have enough talent within their system to make significant progress with the right guidance.
However, the New Zealander stressed that improving Pakistan’s Test fortunes would require patience, adding that progress could not be achieved overnight.
“I’d be open to it for sure. I love Test cricket, and I think there’s enough talent within the system in Pakistan that, if we can provide some good direction, we can make some strides forward. It’s certainly not going to happen in a game or two, but I think there’s some skill there that I’d certainly consider looking after,” Hesson said.
Hesson, however, clarified that he had not yet seriously considered his long-term involvement with Pakistan’s red-ball setup, with his immediate focus remaining on white-ball cricket and his upcoming assignment at the Asian Games.
He said discussions over the future structure of the Test team were likely to take place before the Asian Games, suggesting that his potential involvement in the red-ball setup could be considered at a later stage.
“I haven’t even contemplated that at this stage. I’ve got the Asian Games coming up, and that’s my main focus in terms of white-ball cricket. By the time that arrives, I’m sure we will have had some discussions about the Test team going forward,” he stated.
For the unversed, Hesson’s first assignment as red-ball coach didn’t meet his expectations as Joe Root’s England clinched an eight-wicket win over Pakistan at Edgbaston after successfully chasing down a 130-run target.
2026-09-13 15:58:00
