Former wicketkeeper Rashid Latif has criticized the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for managing the team by "remote control" following a dramatic overhaul midway through their Test series against England.

Latif publicly questioned the board's decision-making structure, wondering if current Test skipper Babar Azam is the next target to be sacked.

Following crushing defeats in the opening two Tests at Leeds and Lord's, the PCB released seven players from the squad, including senior figures like Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha.

Along with player changes, red-ball head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul were relieved of their duties. The white-ball setup, led by Mike Hesson, has been brought in on short notice to take charge of the final Test at Edgbaston.

Latif argued on social media that if the team is meant to be run by instructions from external management then why high-profile foreign coaches like Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie were hired at first place.

“If the team had to be run by remote control, then why were Sarfaraz and Umar Gul sent? Why were the selection powers taken away from Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie?" Latif questioned in an X post.

“And if captain Babar Azam was not listening, the captain should have been sacked, so why were Sarfaraz and Umar Gul sent back instead? Is Babar Azam the next target?" he further asked.

The Pakistan board has drawn widespread backlash for making wholesale changes to the Test squad mid-series. However, PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi defended the move, citing that the board had taken such an unprecedented step in the team’s best interests.

Earlier this year, Pakistan once again tinkered with their Test captaincy. Shan Masood was sacked and Babar was reinstated in the role after team suffered a 2-0 whitewash at the hands of Bangladesh. Under Babar, Pakistan drew their two-match away series against the West Indies, but were outclassed in England.