The Pakistan Cricket Board has completely removed the uncertainty surrounding the future of coach Mike Hesson. He will continue serving as the head coach of the Pakistan Test team until the conclusion of the 2025-27 ICC World Test Championship cycle. The summit clash of this WTC cycle is scheduled to take place in June next year. Hesson was appointed as the head coach of Pakistan's ODI and T20 teams in May 2025. Subsequently, after Sarfraz Ahmed was removed from the Test coaching role in September, Hesson was handed the additional responsibility of interim coach for the Test tour against England, a duty he will continue to manage moving forward.
Review of Hesson's Tenure Scheduled After World Cup
According to reports from PTI, a special board insider revealed that Mike Hesson has agreed to stay on as the team coach until the current World Test Championship cycle concludes. The source noted that Hesson will also take charge as head coach during the upcoming Test series against New Zealand next year. Both the board and the coach have communicated this update to all the players. Furthermore, an evaluation of Hesson's stint with Pakistan cricket will be conducted following the World Cup to be hosted next year in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. Only then will a final decision be made regarding who will take over as the Pakistan Test team head coach for the subsequent cycle of the World Test Championship.
Desire to Stay with the Team for the Long Term
Mike Hesson has previously expressed his strong desire to remain associated with the Pakistan cricket team for an extended period. Following the series defeat against England in September, he stated that if given the opportunity, he would be fully prepared for the role because of his deep passion for Test format. He believes that Pakistani players possess tremendous talent and that the team can progress significantly with proper guidance, although the transformation will take some time. Hesson also disclosed that following the New Zealand series, the England Cricket Board offered him the Test coaching position to replace Brendon McCullum, but he turned it down to honor his commitment to Pakistan.
