The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent seven players back from England. Even the Test coach, Sarfaraz Ahmed, wasn't spared as he was replaced by white-ball coach Mike Hesson in the dressing room. However, the performance remains the same. Things went from bad to worse for the Babar Azam-led side in the third Test against England at Headingley as the visitors once again failed to breach the 200-run mark, getting dismissed for 133. The things would have been lacklustre had Saud Shakeel not chipped in with 43 runs.
Many former Pakistan players have expressed their displeasure with Hesson and his coaching methods. However, Rashid Latif went an extra mile on Wednesday night, questioning the current Pakistan white-ball coach's integrity and loyalty. He said that once coaches come to Pakistan after completing gigs in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the PCB should conduct a thorough background check.
It is worth noting that Hesson was previously involved with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL, and he was also the head coach of the New Zealand men's cricket team.
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"Mike Hesson, for me, security concerns are a different thing, but the loyalty factor is very important for a foreign coach. When I talk about Bob Woolmer, I know he was loyal. He had such loyalty. Then, if I talk about Geoff Lawson as a person, as a player, he was professional. He stayed in Lahore. He had loyalty," Latif said during a discussion on YouTube.
{{/usCountry}}"Mike Hesson, for me, security concerns are a different thing, but the loyalty factor is very important for a foreign coach. When I talk about Bob Woolmer, I know he was loyal. He had such loyalty. Then, if I talk about Geoff Lawson as a person, as a player, he was professional. He stayed in Lahore. He had loyalty," Latif said during a discussion on YouTube.
{{/usCountry}}"All the others who have come, please help me remember; all of them were foreigners who became Pakistani coaches. They all did their work with heart. I am not putting the blame on anyone, but the coach who has come after doing IPL. There will always be doubt about him," he said.
‘Loyalty’
Hesson was appointed as Pakistan's white-ball coach in May 2025, and under his tenure, the Green Shirts reached the final of the Asia Cup, only to lose the summit clash to arch-rival India. Pakistan then failed to reach the semi-final of the Men's T20 World Cup, after losing to India and England in the Super 8s.
While Latif did not directly question Hesson's involvement with Pakistan, he dropped enough hints, accusing him of being “an agent.”
"Loyalty factor is very important, and it remains doubtful. I am not saying someone is not loyal; he might be, of course, he might, but it's better if these things are checked. Check the history. The connection would be there," said Latif.
“So the damage that we couldn't do, maybe someone will who can damage you, no matter which coach comes from abroad. But one who is directly linked with IPL, from people there, who might want to use him, that's how agents are formed,” he added.
Speaking of the ongoing third and final Test between Pakistan and England, the latter has taken a lead of 23 runs after ending Day 1 at 156/4 with Harry Brook and Dan Lawrence at the crease.