Pakistan has made major changes to its cricket team and coaching staff during its ongoing series against England, a move that has sparked strong reactions from former players. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) dropped seven players and introduced five new faces, including uncapped players, while replacing head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and assistant Umar Gul with white-ball coach Mike Hesson and former Australian fast bowler Ashley Noffke. The decision comes after Pakistan lost the first two Tests of the series, with the third and final match set to begin on Wednesday, 9 September, at Edgbaston. Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi expressed confusion over the changes, criticizing the selection committee on social media. He questioned the logic behind including T20 specialists for a Test match in England and criticized the decision to replace the coach after just five Test matches. Afridi called it "the most shocking decision ever by a selection committee," emphasizing the lack of clear reasoning behind the changes. The players dropped include several key figures like Muhammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, and Salman Ali Agha, who had played in the series so far. Aamir Jamal and Muhammad Awais Jafar were sent home without playing. In their place, the PCB called up Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, who have previous Test experience, along with five uncapped players. These include Arafat Minhas, a spin-bowling all-rounder, and several young players like Mohammed Imran Jr and Razaullah. Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja, who also served as chairman of the PCB, expressed concern over the changes, saying the situation shows Pakistan cricket has "hit a panic button." Despite the internal upheaval, Pakistan is set to meet King Charles at Clarence House this week, an event planned before the series began. The meeting will proceed despite tensions that nearly led to the cancellation of the second Test, which was threatened after an interview with the sons of Imran Khan, who is currently in prison on corruption charges he denies. The PCB confirmed the Test was completed without any boycott, with captain Babar Azam and coach Sarfaraz Ahmed denying any prior knowledge of the planned walkout.