Nasser Hussain criticizes Pakistan's selection of Saim Ayub

Former England captain Nasser Hussain has criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board for its decision to recall Saim Ayub for the third Test against England at Edgbaston. Ayub was selected for the squad directly from the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), despite having not played first-class cricket for 11 months.

Hussain described the move as a “disrespect and disregard for Test Match Cricket,” noting the difficulty of transitioning from a different format and foreign conditions to facing the English bowling attack and the Dukes ball without adequate preparation. Ayub struggled in the match, recording a pair of ducks after being dismissed by Ollie Robinson in both innings.

The selection comes amid significant upheaval within the Pakistan team. Following heavy defeats in the first two matches of the series, the PCB made seven changes to the squad, including the debuts of Mohammad Imran, Rajullah, and wicketkeeper Gazi Ghori. Additionally, head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were dismissed following the previous matches.