PCB revamps selection committee again following Multan mauling

Pakistan's struggles in Test cricket were again exposed as England secured a commanding innings and 47-run victory in the first Test in Multan on Friday.

In the aftermath of this humiliating loss, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced changes to the men’s national selection committee.

The new members include renowned former ICC umpire Aleem Dar, ex-Test captain Azhar Ali, and Aqib Javed. They join former Test cricketer Asad Shafiq, analyst Hasan Cheema, the national team's captain, and coach, forming a seven-member panel, each with a voting right.

Their immediate responsibility is to select Pakistan's squad for the second Test against England, also in Multan, starting from October 15.

Aleem Dar officiating the first Test match between Australia and New Zealand in Perth on December 12, 2019.AFP

In addition to the seven voting members, the committee includes four non-voting members: assistant coach Azhar Mehmood, Bilal Afzal, Nadeem Khan, and Usman Wahla.

Selection chaos

This restructuring follows the recent resignation of former star batsman Mohammad Yousuf from his role as selector last month.

The volatility within the Pakistan selection committee has reached new heights in recent months. Wahab Riaz was appointed chief selector late last year, only to oversee series losses against Australia and New Zealand.

In March, Mohsin Naqvi revamped the selection committee, removing the chief selector role and giving each selector equal authority. The early exit from the T20 World Cup in June prompted further changes, with Wahab and Abdul Razzaq being sacked. After Yousuf’s resignation, Asad Shafiq was left as the sole voting member of the selection committee, outside of the captains and coaches.

The newly-formed committee met at the National Cricket Academy on Friday afternoon and will head to Multan on Saturday to meet with the chief curator, captain, and head coach to finalize the squad.

Time for wholesale changes?

Before the England series, Test coach Jason Gillespie stressed in a PCB podcast that he is committed to giving players a fair chance to secure their place in the team. Gillespie emphasized that backing and supporting players is critical, and that chopping and changing teams based on short-term performances does not benefit the team’s long-term goals.

However, it remains to be seen if the loss in the first Test against England will prompt any wholesale changes.

Pakistan's recent performances in all formats have put the PCB in a difficult position, with no clear solutions in sight. After being whitewashed 0-2 by Bangladesh in a home Test series, Pakistan touched another historic low on Friday as they became the first team to lose a Test by an innings after scoring more than 500 runs in their first innings.