A specialist to stop the collapses: Pakistan turn to South Africa's Michael Smith to fix their batting

In a bid to address their persistent and damaging batting frailties, Pakistan have appointed former South African cricketer Michael Smith as the batting coach of the men's team. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed the development in an official statement, handing the 46-year-old a two-year contract to work with the side across all three formats.

The move comes as a direct response to a run of alarming batting collapses that have undermined Pakistan across both red-ball and white-ball cricket, and Smith will be tasked with instilling greater consistency and technical solidity into the batting unit.

A specialist to address the woes

The core motivation behind the appointment is clear. Pakistan's team management and selectors were reportedly concerned about the current standard of the team's batting, and sought a dedicated specialist to strengthen the core and improve consistency across formats.

Frequent failures to capitalise on starts or build substantial partnerships have plagued the side in recent months, prompting the PCB to bring in a coach focused solely on the batting group. Smith's remit will cover both the red-ball and white-ball setups, giving him a comprehensive role.

Smith's playing background

Smith brings experience as both a player and a coach. During a playing career that spanned from 2003 to 2013, the right-handed batter featured in 89 first-class matches, 72 List A games and 16 T20s.

Across those formats, he accumulated a solid 7,029 runs, including nine centuries and 40 half-centuries. That grounding as a first-class run-scorer forms the foundation of his subsequent move into coaching, where he has built a varied and respected résumé.

A rich coaching résumé

Since transitioning into coaching, Smith has worked with a number of domestic and franchise teams. Crucially, he arrives with prior exposure to Pakistan cricket, having been part of the coaching setups at Islamabad United, Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

His international franchise experience also includes a stint as batting coach for Australia's Hobart Hurricanes and Cricket Tasmania. A Level 4-qualified coach, he has further served as a coaching consultant with South Africa's KZN Inland and Eastern Province, underlining the breadth of his expertise.

Replacing Asad Shafiq

Smith's appointment brings an end to the interim tenure of Asad Shafiq, who had served as batting coach since April 2026 within the coaching staff led by Test head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed. Shafiq will remain involved in Pakistan cricket in his capacity as a national selector.

Reports had suggested Shafiq's effectiveness in the role was compromised by the number of positions he held simultaneously, being a member of the selection committee and head of the PCB's Karachi academy in addition to his coaching duties. The PCB's decision to pursue a permanent, dedicated appointment reflects a desire for more focused, specialist attention on the batting.

A structured search

The appointment followed a formal recruitment process. The PCB began its search for a permanent batting coach in May, publicly advertising the role with an application deadline of June 7, before evaluating the pool of candidates.

Reports indicated the advertisement did not attract a large number of applications, with sources suggesting that foreign coaches often view roles within the Pakistan setup as short-lived, owing to the frequent changes in team management. Indeed, the batting coach position has seen several occupants in recent years, including Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and Andrew Puttick.

The scale of the challenge

Smith inherits a batting unit in urgent need of repair, particularly in the Test arena. Pakistan have endured a torrid time in the longest format, having lost eight successive Tests abroad — among the worst such runs in their history.

His first major assignment will be to work with the Test side ahead of a demanding three-match series in England, beginning on August 19. He is expected to join the squad from the start of the opening Test at Headingley, leaving him with limited time to make an immediate impact before the series gets under way.

Working under a new-look setup

Smith arrives to work alongside a Test side now led once again by Babar Azam, who was recently reappointed as captain in place of Shan Masood. The batting-focused reinforcement is part of a broader effort to arrest Pakistan's decline in the format.

With a packed schedule ahead, including the tours of the West Indies and England followed by a busy home season, the new coach will have ample opportunity to implement his methods and stamp his influence on the group over the course of his two-year deal.

The final word

Michael Smith's appointment represents a clear statement of intent from the PCB, prioritising specialist expertise to solve a problem that has repeatedly cost Pakistan dear. His franchise experience within the country and his structured coaching background make him a logical choice, though the timing of his arrival leaves little room for a gentle introduction. With a struggling Test batting unit and a challenging England tour looming, Smith's ability to deliver quick improvements will be under immediate scrutiny — but the two-year term suggests the board is planning for the long haul.