Former Pakistan captain Mohammad Yousuf has launched a scathing attack on the national team’s coaching setup, describing some coaches as “poison for the game” and blaming them for failing to address the players’ technical weaknesses.
Yousuf said Pakistan’s poor batting technique has now been badly exposed in matches against teams ranging from Bangladesh to England. He argued that several of these flaws could have been corrected years ago but were instead overlooked due to poor coaching and guidance. The former captain also warned that talented players could see their careers cut short if they fail to identify the right people to listen to and follow the wrong advice.
Mohammad Yousuf shared an old video alongside a recent video of Babar Azam being dismissed against England on his X account. He wrote that he had warned about Babar’s technical issues several years ago, but unfortunately, some so-called coaches around Babar Azam and other players did not allow him to work on those weaknesses.
According to Yousuf, these technical flaws could have been corrected quite easily at the time. He expressed regret that, because the issues were not addressed, Pakistan cricket has now reached the decline that is being witnessed today.
The former captain also launched a strong criticism of Pakistan’s coaches, saying that some of them are “poison for the game.” He accused them of lacking vision, hindering players’ development, and giving the wrong guidance even to highly talented cricketers. Yousuf further warned that if Pakistan’s cricketers do not learn whom to listen to and whose advice to follow, their careers could end much earlier than they should.
He added that the technical weaknesses of Pakistan’s players have now been badly exposed, from Bangladesh to England. Problems that could have been corrected years ago have developed into clear and serious weaknesses, further weakening Pakistan cricket and making it increasingly difficult for the team to compete on the international stage.