'They sack you because...' - Mushtaq Ahmed fearful of becoming Pakistan coach amid mid-tour upheaval

Mushtaq Ahmed opens up on Pakistan coaching job amid PCB turmoil

Former leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed has admitted he's "scared" to take over the Pakistan coaching setup after the PCB pulled off some serious shake-ups mid-tour.

Here's the situation: after getting blown out in the first two Tests (innings & 103 at Headingley, then 194 runs at Lord's), the PCB axed Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and handed whiteball coach Mike Hesson the Test reins. On top of that, they shipped seven players home and dropped in five uncapped names mid-series.

Speaking on the BBC Stumped Podcast, Mushtaq was clear he'd love to coach his country—but with conditions.

"Sometimes you get scared of working for your own country when the people don't respect you and they sack you because of a few emotional decisions here and there," he said. "People getting sacked on a tour—you get worried and scared."

His main gripe? The timing. Changing seven players and support staff mid-tour is unprecedented in Pakistan cricket. "Sarfaraz and Umar Gul are some of the most experienced. If you want to sack them, obviously you sack them after the tour," he added.

The axed squad: Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman A Agha, Ali Usman, Khurram Shahzad, Aamir Jamal and Awais Jafar. Replacements include Saim Ayub, Abdullah Fazal, Arafat Minhas and Mohammad Imran Jr.

His message to the PCB? "This is the time to stay calm, don't make rash decisions."

Bottom line: Mushtaq's signalling that stability and respect matter more than the badge. Smart read—nobody wants to inherit a dressing room mid-crisis without backing.

Source: Crictracker