Gary Kirsten, head coach of Pakistan’s white-ball cricket team, has resigned from his position, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed Jason Gillespie as the head coach for the tours of Australia and Zimbabwe.
Reports suggest that Kirsten made the decision to resign due to disagreements with the PCB. Kirsten was not in favor of coaching without authority, and when he was appointed, he was promised significant powers, especially over selection matters. However, Kirsten was unhappy when his voting rights in squad selection were withdrawn.
Kirsten had already done his homework for the squads for the Australia and Zimbabwe tours, and there were consultations between him and the former selection committee regarding the teams. However, Kirsten and the current selection committee were not on the same page. The selectors made changes to the squad Kirsten had proposed for the Champions One-Day Cup.
Kirsten and Jason Gillespie stayed in regular contact regarding the players, and both were against resting Babar Azam. Kirsten wanted Babar to be part of the Zimbabwe tour, believing it would be valuable preparation before the South Africa series.
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It has also been reported that the PCB was seeking Kirsten’s resignation, as they were looking to appoint a former Pakistani player as the white-ball team’s head coach before the Champions Trophy.
Recently, reports surfaced about serious disagreements between Kirsten and the PCB over team selection and the support staff. Kirsten had even threatened to skip the Australia tour if his demands were not met. The primary issue between Kirsten and the PCB was Kirsten’s insistence on having his preferences in the white-ball team and central contract categories. He also wanted to include foreign staff members of his choice in the support team.
In an interview with Geo News, Kirsten said that he had seen the PCB’s statement and would soon release his own statement, explaining his reasons for resigning.
Following Kirsten’s resignation, the PCB officially announced Jason Gillespie as the head coach for the white-ball team for the Australia tour. The PCB also confirmed that it had accepted Kirsten’s resignation.
Before Gillespie’s appointment, there were discussions about former Test cricketer Aaqib Javed being a strong contender for the head coach role. However, due to visa issues, Gillespie was finalized, and he, along with Tim Nielsen, left for Australia earlier today. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi resolved the matter late at night, and Gillespie’s appointment is expected to be temporary.
