The Pakistan Cricket Board has decided that Mike Hesson will stay in charge of the Test team until the end of the current World Test Championship cycle, with a final call on his future after the 2027 World Cup. The Hesson Pakistan Test coach arrangement keeps one man in charge of both the red-ball and white-ball sides for now.
Sources told Geo News on Sunday that the PCB has no immediate plans to appoint a separate head coach for Tests. Hesson, 52, will keep overseeing the red-ball side until the WTC 2025-27 cycle ends. He will also lead the team during next year’s home Test series against New Zealand.
The Test squad players have been told about the decision. Hesson has also told the players that he is willing to keep handling coaching duties in the longest format.
Hesson Pakistan Test coach: what the PCB decided
Hesson has not been named Pakistan’s permanent red-ball head coach. Even so, he continues to play a major role in selection matters and changes within the Test squad, sources said.
The board is expected to decide his future coaching responsibilities after the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2027, when his existing contract is also due to expire. That means Hesson’s long-term future will be judged after the World Cup, not during the home season ahead.
Hesson took on extra responsibility for the Test team during Pakistan’s recent three-match tour of England, where the side lost the opening two matches at Leeds and Lord’s. The PCB then named him interim head coach after Sarfaraz Ahmed was removed from the role ahead of the third Test in Birmingham. Hesson kept his existing job as Pakistan’s white-ball head coach at the same time.
He had already said he would be open to the Test job on a permanent basis, pointing to his love for the longest format and his faith in the talent in Pakistan’s system.
“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.
A home series starts on Monday
Hesson’s immediate task is the two-match home Test series against Sri Lanka. The first Test starts at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on November 9 and runs to November 13. The second Test is set for Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium from November 17 to 21.
Babar Azam will lead a youthful Pakistan side into the series, and he has said selection is not in his hands. Three uncapped players are in the squad, along with fast bowler Aamer Jamal. Hesson has already shaped the squad, with a shake-up planned before the Sri Lanka series that includes a new opening combination and changes to the pace attack.
Pakistan go into the series at the bottom of the WTC 2025-27 standings. They have won two and lost seven of their nine matches, with five points and a points percentage of 4.63. The Sri Lanka series is therefore a chance to climb the table and to give the young squad a win at home.
The decision to keep Hesson in charge also gives the team stability. Pakistan have changed Test coaches often in recent years, and a settled setup should help a young group that is still finding its feet. The board’s plan is clear: let Hesson run the red-ball side through the WTC cycle, then judge him after the 2027 World Cup.
For Hesson, the Sri Lanka series is the first step. A home win would ease the pressure and show that the faith in his dual role is justified. A poor result would raise fresh questions, but the PCB has signalled that it will not rush into a change.
The wider Test picture is also moving. Afghanistan and Zimbabwe are in the middle of their Test in Harare, while Towhid Hridoy set a Bangladesh record with an unbeaten 242 against West Indies. Pakistan’s challenge is to match that kind of fight in the longest format.
Frequently asked questions
How long will Hesson stay as Pakistan Test coach?
Hesson will stay in charge of the Test team until the end of the World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle. He will also coach the side in next year’s home Test series against New Zealand.
When will the PCB decide Hesson’s long-term future?
The board is expected to decide after the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2027, when Hesson’s existing contract is due to expire.
When does Pakistan play Sri Lanka?
The first Test starts at Rawalpindi on November 9 and runs to November 13. The second Test is at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium from November 17 to 21.
Where do Pakistan stand in the World Test Championship?
Pakistan sit at the bottom of the WTC 2025-27 standings, with two wins and seven defeats in nine matches, five points and a points percentage of 4.63.
