Pakistan cricket has come under heavy criticism from former player and captain Shahid Afridi following the decision to overhaul almost half of its squad midway through the Test series against England.
Ahead of the third and final Test, Pakistan released seven players, while head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also removed from their roles.
The sweeping changes came after Pakistan suffered a 194-run defeat in the second Test, allowing England to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The decision to make such major changes with just one Test remaining has drawn widespread criticism, with the timing and scale of the shake-up coming under particular scrutiny.
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"Not sure what is the logic or reasoning behind this decision!", Afridi wrote on social media as reported by BBC Sport. Even the replacements make no sense - T20 players have been included for a Test match in England?"
"What is this thinking and approach? Why has the coach been axed after five Test matches? This is the most shocking decision ever by a selection committee which includes so many experienced selectors."
Pakistan's former head coach Mickey Arthur described the decision as ridiculous.
"Absolutely ridiculous decision 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 is no stability! Planning, stability and structure lead to consistent performance," Arthur wrote on social media.
Former Pakistan captain and batting great Javed Miandad also expressed his view, saying he was shocked by the decision and felt sorry for the players sent back home and even those sent to England.
"The players sent back, it is now a mental scar for them and a blot on their career, while the players who are replacements will be under so much mental pressure in the one Test remaining in the series," Miandad said on Tuesday.
Muhammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, and Khurram Shahzad are the five players who have played in the series thus far; Aamir Jamal and Muhammad Awais Jafar have been sent home without participating in the series.
Seven players in all have been called up. Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, two batters with prior Test experience, are among the five uncapped newcomers.
Wicketkeeper Said Baig, spin-bowling all-rounder Arafat Minhas, left-arm seamer Mohammed Imran Jr., and all-rounders Mohammed Imran and Razaullah have all been called up.
Ex-Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja, also a former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) told BBC Radio 5 Live: "I'm trying to convince myself this is all OK, but it is not."
"It just shows Pakistan cricket has hit a panic button," he added.
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Former Australian pacer Ashley Noffke and Mike Hesson, who serve as bowling and head coach respectively in Pakistan's white-ball coaching setup, have also joined the Test coaching group.
Following the Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) decision to make significant changes to the Test team and coaching staff during the ongoing tour of England, former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq earlier offered his resignation from the Pakistan men's national selection committee, according to Cricinfo.
The report claims that Misbah's resignation has not yet been accepted by the PCB. Additionally, he has made the decision to leave his position as a batting consultant at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.
The third Test match of the series is scheduled to be played at Birmingham from Sept. 9.
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