Pakistan at ‘very start’ of Test rebuilding process, says bo

Key Takeaways

• Pakistan are at the “very start” of rebuilding their Test side, bowling coach Ashley Noffke said on Monday, as the team attempts to move past a tumult
• “Every nation has a life cycle, and there’ll be moments where they play really great cricket for long periods and then older players will move out and
• And we’re at the very start of that process,” Noffke told reporters at Edgbaston
• The contrast with England, who are attempting to complete a 3-0 series sweep after emphatic victories at Headingley and Lord’s, could hardly be starke
• While Pakistan have brought in a new interim head coach in Mike Hesson, made wholesale changes to their squad and sent Noffke to England at short noti

Pakistan are at the “very start” of rebuilding their Test side, bowling coach Ashley Noffke said on Monday, as the team attempts to move past a tumultuous week that has seen sweeping changes to the squad and a shake-up of its coaching staff.

“Every nation has a life cycle, and there’ll be moments where they play really great cricket for long periods and then older players will move out and younger players will come in. And we’re at the very start of that process,” Noffke told reporters at Edgbaston.

The contrast with England, who are attempting to complete a 3-0 series sweep after emphatic victories at Headingley and Lord’s, could hardly be starker.

While Pakistan have brought in a new interim head coach in Mike Hesson, made wholesale changes to their squad and sent Noffke to England at short notice, the hosts have been able to build on a settled pace attack led by Jofra Archer, who says he is finally enjoying a period of stability after years of injury.

Pakistan’s changes have opened the door for young fast bowlers Razaullah and Mohammad Imran Jr, with Noffke viewing their presence in England as part of a longer-term plan rather than simply an emergency response to two defeats.

“They’re young guys. They haven’t experienced England conditions and they’re over here to learn and grow,” he said. “I think with any life cycle of any cricket team, you need to take a forward-thinking approach to what we might need in the future. I think other teams have been doing that and it’s now our turn to bring young guys over, make sure they get accustomed to conditions that are different to theirs at home.”

Both bowlers offer Pakistan something that has been missing from their attack during the series — pace. Noffke said they were “certainly closer to the 140 mark” than some of the quicks Pakistan had previously used.

Imran Jr, a left-armer, and Razaullah, a right-armer with a different action, could also provide variety to an attack that has relied heavily on veteran seamer Mohammad Abbas.

“Abbas has obviously bowled amazingly through this series and we need to support him as best we can,” Noffke said.

Noffke himself was thrust into the Test set-up at short notice, saying he received a message “at 3am” informing him that management was sending him to England.

Asked whether he had been given an explanation for the sweeping changes to the squad, he said: “Not really.”

“It’s not my job to be in consultation with where they see who’s in and who’s out. That’s obviously the selection panel,” he said.

“As we’ve already asked Mike [Hesson] in previous interviews, he’s only just come into that phase. So, like we said before, it’s unsettling, but it’s about getting on with it, focusing on what’s ahead of us as a Test-playing squad and trying to develop in all areas.”

The uncertainty surrounding Pakistan has also been compounded by an internal PCB disciplinary inquiry into the conduct of some players announced on Monday.

Noffke said he knew no more about the matter than the media did.

“As much as you do. And I can be really honest in that — I don’t know too much,” he said. “I sit outside of that decision-making model above us as coaches.”

He said the coaching staff had attempted to keep the players focused on the cricket rather than the developments surrounding them.

“There’s obviously a feeling of uncertainty, but they’ve just got back on the job,” Noffke said. “I’ve been really impressed with the level of calmness that they’ve taken over the last couple of days once we’ve given them time to talk.”

The Australian said Pakistan’s immediate strategy was straightforward: “good Test cricket”, discipline, bowling in good areas and building long partnerships with the bat.

Asked whether Pakistan risked becoming a laughing stock following the events on and off the field and whether the team needed to restore some pride, Noffke said performances were the only meaningful answer.

“Well, you only install pride with really good cricket, don’t you?” he said. “There’s no question that we need to develop our game. Our Test game needs to improve. But that doesn’t mean that we should be worried about that.”

England, meanwhile, are preparing for the possibility of completing a clean sweep with a fast-bowling unit that has been one of the defining features of the series.

Archer, who returned to Test cricket in July last year after more than four years away, believes he is now in a “good place” following a succession of career-threatening injuries.

The Barbados-born quick arrived in England in 2015 and four years later spearheaded the attack during England’s dramatic World Cup triumph at Lord’s, while also starring in the 2019 Ashes.

But an elbow problem subsequently developed, followed by back injuries, and Archer was sidelined from Test cricket from February 2021 until July 2025.

The 31-year-old, who continues to play all three international formats, said his long periods away from the game had also brought unexpected benefits.

“The time when I was injured, I really got away from cricket,” he told the BBC on Monday. “It’s all been a blur. I didn’t realise how long the time out was, either.”

Archer said the enforced breaks allowed him to spend more time at home in Barbados after moving to England.

“I got to spend some time at home, because, moving over, I never really got more than a couple of weeks,” he said. “To spend a month here and there, it was really nice.”

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I had a good time away from everything. Now, everything is really nice. My body is in a good place, the team is in a good place and everyone is in a good place. I just want to play cricket.”

Archer has played a key role in England’s two victories over Pakistan and will be central to their bid for a 3-0 result at Edgbaston.

His presence has also added further weight to an England pace attack featuring Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson, with the group beginning to draw comparisons with England’s celebrated “Fab Four” of Matthew Hoggard, Steve Harmison, Simon Jones and Andrew Flintoff, who helped secure the 2005 Ashes.

Pakistan, by contrast, are still deciding whether to field four seamers or retain a spinner, with Noffke saying the decision would depend on the pitch and weather.

“We’ve got some really good options now to select in terms of the four seamers, our spinner that can bat. There are some great selection dilemmas, which is nice,” he said.

The Edgbaston pitch has plenty of grass, but Noffke expects it to be a good surface.

“It looks a good surface. There’s plenty of grass on it, though,” he said.

For Pakistan, however, the significance of Wednesday’s Test extends beyond avoiding a series whitewash.

With new faces being introduced amid considerable upheaval, Edgbaston could offer an early glimpse of the side Noffke believes is only now beginning the process of rebuilding.

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What is Pakistan at ‘very start’ of Test rebuild?

Pakistan are at the “very start” of rebuilding their Test side, bowling coach Ashley Noffke said on Monday, as the team attempts to move past a tumultuous week that has seen sweeping changes to the sq

Originally reported by Dawn News. Enhanced and optimized for search by TechVeb.