Former Pakistan head coach Jason Gillespie has expressed his sympathies for the players who have been part of the team on their ongoing tour of England and blasted the management for how they have handled them. Pakistan airlifted their limited overs coach Mike Hesson to England to suddenly take over as the red ball coach after they lost the first two Tests of the three-match series, sacking the incumbent Sarfraz Ahmed and members of his staff.

Additionally, they sent home as many as seven players from the squad, including Salman Ali Agha who captained the side in the first Test.

“I feel for the players; this is these guys’ livelihoods. From the outside, it looks like they are playing with fear,” Gillespie told Code Sports.

“Salman Ali Agha goes from captaining the team in the first Test against England to being out of the team for the second Test and on the plane home before the third Test. How does that work?” Gillespie said.

Gillespie said that any chance of getting consistency on the field is being scuppered by the management’s decisions off it. Sarfraz, who had led Pakistan to victory as captain in the 2017 Champions Trophy, had been made head coach in April this year. “If you want consistency on the field there needs to be consistency off the field. That goes to board level, selection and coaching level.”

Pakistan’s chief selector and high performance director of cricket Aaqib Javed had blamed the coaching staff led by Gillespie for the team’s current situation in Test cricket. They have e won one of their last eight test series since August 2024, a run that includes a 2-1 victory over England under Gillespie. Pakistan have had six test coaches in the past three years.

“It’s pretty clear they don’t have a selection strategy at all, particularly under Aaqib Javed. They change their mind like they change their pants — daily,” he said.

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“The players who were sacked heard it through family and friends and the media,” he said. “How disrespectful is that?”

Gillespie said he remained a strong admirer of Pakistan’s players. “The talent there is as good as anywhere in the world,” he added. “These players just need support off the field.”