PCB sent back seven players home after Pakistan went 0-2 down in Test series against England.
In a drastic measure, seven players were removed from the Pakistan squad, including Salman Ali Agha and Mohammad Rizwan, and sent back home. Not only players, Test coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were also sent packing, with white-ball coach Mike Hesson taking over.
"A lot of shock. This is not done in cricket. And so why have they done it? Obviously, they're feeling the heat. But in any circumstances during the series, this has never happened,” Ramiz Raja stated on the BBC Test Match Special podcast.
After Pakistan lost by an innings and 103 runs at Headingley, England won by 194 runs at Lord's on Sunday to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the three-Test series.
The seven players sent back were Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Ali Agha, Ali Usman, Aamir Jamal, Muhammad Awais Zafar, and Khurram Shahzad.
Raja believes the scale and timing of the changes are unprecedented. He also compared the situation with football, where the team manager can be dismissed in the middle of the campaign, but argued that cricket's series structure should have encouraged Pakistan to wait.
"So, Pakistan has actually created a world record. I am really, really not happy with this situation. This is more like football; midway through the season, you fire the manager. But this is a series that is happening. So, they could have easily waited for another 10 days before taking a call,” Raja added.
The decision to restructure the playing group prior to the last Test at Edgbaston, which included five players who had not previously played Test cricket, drew significant criticism from Raja.
"I still am trying to convince myself that this is all okay. It just shows Pakistan cricket has hit a panic button, and it's not good for the game, not good for the confidence of the players who have left, and not good for the confidence of the players who have come in.
It makes you a selfish team; it makes you an individualistic team. And what is the guarantee that they will get the results also? This is mass culling,” Raja stated.
Raja pointed out that the problems extend far beyond one series or one selection call. Constant changes in leadership, coaching, and administration have brought instability to Pakistan cricket, causing huge harm.
"It's a plethora of so many things that have happened. It's gone haywire," he said.
Asked how Pakistan can fix the situation, Raja offered a stark response: "If you ask me how to fix it, I have no idea. I really have no idea. The next year or so is going to be as turbulent as the last year or two."
The message conveyed by the dismissal of Sarfaraz and Gul, two former Pakistani internationals who had both had illustrious playing careers, worried Raja just as much.
"Once you remove a coach, in this instance, you have thrown out Sarfaraz Ahmed and his deputy Umar Gul. These are cricketers who have done so well for Pakistan over the years. But they have been booted out. I don't know what will happen to the psyche of the team and the ex-cricketers. Who would want a job with Pakistan cricket if they are not respected?” Raja concluded.
Pakistan and England will clash in the third and final Test, starting September 9 in Birmingham.
(BBC inputs)