Following Pakistan's crushing defeat to England in the first Test in Multan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has once again overhauled its National Selection Committee. In a major shake-up, the PCB announced the inclusion of former Test umpire Aleem Dar, alongside ex-cricketers Aaqib Javed and Azhar Ali, as new members of the selection panel. This move comes just 10 days after Mohammad Yousuf resigned from the committee.

Aleem Dar’s appointment as a selector has raised eyebrows, given that it is a rare transition for an international umpire to take on such a role. Dar, who stepped down from the ICC's Elite Panel in 2023, is still active in domestic umpiring and has expressed his intention to retire after the 2024-25 season. He is expected to officiate in the 2025 PSL and a tri-series against South Africa and New Zealand before concluding his long umpiring career. Reflecting on his career, Dar stated, “Umpiring has been my life for nearly 25 years and I have cherished the privilege of officiating some of the most iconic matches involving the greatest players of this generation."

In addition to Aleem Dar, the revamped panel includes former fast bowler Aaqib Javed, Azhar Ali, and data analyst Hasan Cheema, who had already been working with the committee. Asad Shafiq retains his role, while the format head coaches Gary Kirsten and Jason Gillespie, who were voting members in the previous structure, no longer hold that responsibility.

The decision to revamp the committee comes as Pakistan reels from its third consecutive Test defeat at home, losing by an innings and 47 runs to England. The defeat marks Pakistan as the first team in Test cricket history to lose by an innings after scoring more than 550 runs in the first innings. This loss also leaves Pakistan at the bottom of the World Test Championship (WTC) table, with just 16 points from eight games.

The new selection committee's immediate task will be to pick the squad for the second Test against England, which starts next Tuesday in Multan. Multiple changes are anticipated, with the performances of four to five players under scrutiny. Despite scoring a century in the first innings, Shan Masood’s captaincy will likely be up for discussion, given his extended period of poor form and a record of six consecutive losses as captain.

The PCB has restructured the selection committee multiple times over the past year. Earlier in 2023, under PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi, the panel was restructured without a chief selector, following Pakistan’s early exit from the T20 World Cup in June. The recent overhaul reflects the ongoing challenges faced by the team and the board as they seek stability and better performances in upcoming series.