Rawalpindi:Captain Babar Azam is optimistic about a restructured Pakistan team as they gear up for the first Test against Sri Lanka, starting in Rawalpindi on Monday. This comes after a disappointing series against England, where Pakistan faced a 3-0 defeat.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Pakistan's cricket team underwent significant changes following the England series, with head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul being replaced by Mike Hesson, previously the white-ball coach. Only Salman Agha and Aamer Jamal have been brought back from the seven players sent home after the second Test in England. Notably, senior players like Mohammad Rizwan, Shan Masood, Sajid Khan, and Noman Ali have been left out of the squad. New faces such as Mohammad Taha, Saad Baig, Tayyab Arif, Sameer Minhas, Saqib Khan, and Ali Shabbir have been included for the first time.
Azam expressed his readiness to lead the young team and his determination to return to form after a dry spell in Test cricket, with his last century scored against New Zealand in December 2022. The series, part of the World Test Championship's fourth cycle, will see Pakistan ranked ninth and Sri Lanka seventh. The second Test is scheduled in Lahore from November 17.
In parallel, Sri Lanka is also undergoing a transition with Kusal Mendis taking over the captaincy from Dhananjaya de Silva. Mendis expressed his enthusiasm about leading a team with a robust batting line-up and readiness for the upcoming challenge.
Both teams have announced their squads with Babar Azam leading Pakistan and Kusal Mendis at the helm for Sri Lanka. The match officials include umpires Adrian Holdstock from South Africa and Rodney Tucker from Australia, with Allahuddien Palekar serving as the TV umpire and Dean Cosker as the match referee.