Pakistan white-ball head coach Mike Hesson said he had no role in selecting the squad for the ongoing Test tour against England, explaining that he only assumed responsibility for the red-ball side after several players had already departed the camp. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) made notable changes to the squad for the third Test against England at Edgbaston, scheduled from September 9 to 13, following defeats in the first two Tests in Leeds and Lord's, releasing seven players and bringing in replacements. Changes were also made to the coaching panel, with Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul released from their roles. The team will now be overseen by the white-ball coaching duo of Hesson and Ashley Noffke.

Hesson, who is currently serving as Pakistan's interim red-ball coach alongside his responsibilities with the white-ball team, said during a recent media conference that he was not part of the red-ball selection panel when the squad for the tour was initially picked. "I've never been involved in red-ball cricket at all, so I'm not part of the selection panel. I'm part of the white-ball selection panel," Hesson said. The New Zealander explained that he inherited a difficult situation after taking charge, with several players having already departed the squad.

"When this side was selected for this tour, I had no involvement at all. When I took over, there were players who had already left the squad: Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq and Salman Ali Agha," he added. With those departures leaving the squad in need of adjustments, Hesson said his immediate priority was to build a balanced combination for the third Test, particularly one capable of competing effectively in the prevailing conditions.

"From there, it was a matter of trying to find a balanced squad for us for the third Test. Obviously, we needed to make changes anyway, and we needed to find a balance that would give us a bowling attack the best chance to compete in these conditions. Certainly, that was the starting point," he stated. Hesson concluded that despite the challenges, his sole focus remained on preparing the team for the upcoming match.