Pakistan cricket is officially stepping into the Sarfaraz Ahmed era once again, and the former wicket-keeper batter is leaving little to chance as he prepares for his next assignment with the senior side. Sarfaraz is set to take charge for the opening match of a two-Test series against Bangladesh, with the first Test beginning at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium on May 8. Although this will be his first stint in the top job with the national team, he has already built a foundation in coaching and mentoring, making the transition feel less abrupt than it might on paper.
After retiring from international cricket, Sarfaraz—who was central to Pakistan’s Champions Trophy success in 2017 as captain—has also been sharpening his coaching credentials behind the scenes. He previously guided Pakistan’s Under-19 team to the Asia Cup title in a mentor-manager role, and he also served in a similar capacity with Pakistan Shaheens during their series against England Lions in the UAE. That Shaheens assignment ended earlier than planned due to the West Asia crisis, but the impression Sarfaraz created was enough to earn him a promotion to the Bangladesh Tests. He has taken over the role in the series setup after Azhar Mahmood, who had worked on an interim basis during the Test campaign against South Africa, following the departure of Australia’s Jason Gillespie from the staff.
Inside Pakistan’s cricket circles, there is a sense that Sarfaraz is unlikely to be replaced immediately, despite being handed the responsibility for the Bangladesh series. The board, it appears, is not signalling any intent to change course in the short term, but rather to allow Sarfaraz time to implement his approach and settle into the role. A Pakistani source close to the developments explained that while Sarfaraz already understands the day-to-day needs of a dressing room from his mentoring work, the key challenge now is the mental adjustment—from being a mentor to becoming a full-fledged coach, even if the day-to-day environment shares some similarities.
During training, Sarfaraz looked ready for that evolution. He spent extensive time with players in the nets, taking on practical coaching duties as needed—whether that meant acting as a throwdown specialist or simply moving from station to station to talk through techniques and plans. One of those conversations included long sessions with Shan Masood, and at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium’s academy ground, Sarfaraz seemed present everywhere, absorbing the pace of work and enjoying the intensity of preparation.
The spotlight, however, will not be limited to Sarfaraz alone. The effectiveness of the new-look coaching group will be closely monitored, especially in the wake of recent struggles under the previous leadership. Misbah-ul-Haq—who had also held the chief selector’s role—resigned after a three-year tenure, and pace bowling coach Waqar Younis also stepped away, with the team failing to deliver performances that met expectations. Against that backdrop, Sarfaraz and his new team—Umar Gul as bowling coach, Asad Shafiq as batting coach, and the head coach himself—are trying to restore belief in the dressing room and rebuild confidence quickly.
Pakistan captain Shan Masood backed the idea that the change does not feel entirely foreign to the squad. When asked about the new coaching setup, Masood pointed out that the group includes people who have already played alongside the players for years. He highlighted that Saifi bhai has been a long-time captain, that Asad Shafiq was among the best batsmen during Masood’s early Test days and remained influential throughout much of his playing career, and that Umar Gul is someone Masood knows well from domestic cricket as well as from coaching under him. Masood added that the three coaches had also been leaders while they were players, meaning they understand the group’s dynamics and how to get the best out of the team.
Masood also addressed the inevitable discomfort that comes with any transition, but argued that the new environment is eased by familiarity. He stressed that the management and coaching staff arriving now—Saifi bhai, Asad bhai, and Umar Gul—are not strangers. He noted that he has been under Saifi bhai’s captaincy, and that Asad Shafiq was a senior batter with around 80 Tests for Pakistan. Masood further explained that he has played domestic cricket with Umar Gul in HBL and in Islamabad, has experienced Umar Gul’s coaching, and has worked alongside him in the Pakistan setup as well. For him, that means it does not feel like an entirely new structure has been imposed, but rather like a more connected continuation with people who already understand how to manage the team.
He went on to say that the connection between coaches and players matters because players spend more time with coaches than even with their own families, and he believes the early signs have been positive. Even though the turnaround time after the PSL was short, Masood pointed to the way the camp was organised—first a red-ball camp for players not involved in the PSL, followed by the sessions and arrangements at the venue. That structure, he said, has prevented the feeling of starting from scratch, and instead made it feel like the team had been connected with the coaches already.
Shaheen Shah Afridi echoed a similar view, adding that communication can be smoother with a local coach than with someone arriving from outside the country. Afridi said it is easier to talk when the coach is around and to clearly understand the plan being worked on for the team. He also stated that Sarfaraz is the head coach and that everyone is looking forward to the challenge, partly because Sarfaraz has already been part of the group as a player and captain during earlier matches. Afridi emphasised that Sarfaraz knows the players well and understands how to use them across different conditions.
Whether Sarfaraz Ahmed is the perfect fit for the job and whether his approach will deliver the desired results will only be judged with time. For now, the message from the Pakistan camp is clear: Sarfaraz has arrived with a mission, and given his temperament and character, he is unlikely to back down as the Test series begins and the coaching staff work to make their influence count.
