Photo via Hindustan Times

'Disrespect and disregard for Tests': Nasser Hussain blasts PCB after Saim Ayub para-trooping move backfires

Following an earlier defeat at Lord's, the Pakistan Cricket Board leadership under Mohsin Naqvi swapped seven squad members ahead of the third Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Among the alterations, Saim Ayub was drafted into the Babar Azam-captained lineup directly from Caribbean Premier League action, having scored a hundred there despite not featuring in first-class cricket since October 2025.

The selection quickly unraveled on the pitch, as English seamer Ollie Robinson dismissed the left-handed opener for scoreless ducks in both innings, leaving Pakistan staring at a potential defeat within three days.

Speaking on Sky Sports, former England skipper Nasser Hussain sharply condemned the decision to insert an unacclimated player into challenging English conditions against a Dukes ball, arguing it reflected a lack of appreciation for the demands of the Test arena. Hussain pointed to 2011 when even an experienced batter like Virender Sehwag collected a pair at the same venue after arriving mid-series, while former Pakistan internationals Basit Ali and Kamran Akmal also voiced disapproval over Ayub's hasty elevation.