The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to keep Mike Hesson in charge of the national Test team until the end of the current World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, with no separate head coach to be appointed for the red-ball side for now.

Sources told Geo News on Sunday that the 52-year-old New Zealander will continue overseeing the Test team until the conclusion of the WTC 2025-27 cycle. He will also lead the side during next year's home Test series against New Zealand.

The players have already been informed of the arrangement, and Hesson has told them he is willing to continue handling coaching duties in the longest format. Despite not holding the permanent red-ball role, he continues to play a significant part in selection matters and changes within the Test squad.

The PCB is expected to decide on Hesson's future coaching responsibilities after the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027, when his existing contract with the board is also due to expire. That review will also settle who leads the Test side into the next World Test Championship cycle.

Hesson joined Pakistan as white-ball head coach in May 2025 and took on the additional responsibility of the Test team during the national side's recent three-match tour of England, where Pakistan lost the opening two matches at Leeds and Lord's.

The PCB appointed him interim head coach after Sarfaraz Ahmed was removed from the position ahead of the third Test in Birmingham. Hesson took charge of the red-ball side while continuing his existing duties as Pakistan's white-ball head coach.

Hesson had earlier said he would be open to taking up the Test coaching role on a permanent basis, pointing to his love of the longest format and his belief in the talent within Pakistan's cricketing system.

“I'd be open to it for sure. I love Test cricket, and I think there's enough talent within the system in Pakistan that, if we can provide some good direction, we can make some strides forward,” Hesson said.

His immediate assignment is Pakistan's upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka. The opening Test will be played at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from 9 to 13 November, while the second match is scheduled at Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium from 17 to 21 November.

Pakistan currently sit at the bottom of the WTC 2025-27 standings, having recorded two wins and seven defeats in nine matches. They have accumulated five points, with a points percentage of 4.63.

The decision brings clarity to an arrangement that had been in place for about two months following the mid-tour reshuffle in England. No permanent appointment to the Test head coach position will be made before the review after the World Cup, which will be hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Former players have raised concerns about the consistency of team combinations across formats under the current setup. The PCB has clarified that selection decisions rest with the selection committee and team management, and that Hesson carries no responsibility for those choices. Babar Azam continues as Test captain, working within a defined brief under that structure.