Just a day after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the squad for white-ball tours against Australia and Zimbabwe, Pakistan’s white-ball coach, Gary Kirsten, resigned from his role. Kirsten, who joined Pakistan Cricket on a contract of 24 months in April 2024, has stepped down merely 6 months after his appointment. Reportedly, his resignation came as a result of a dispute between him and PCB.
Following the forgettable defeat against England in the first Test match, PCB formed a new selection committee consisting of recently retired ICC Elite umpire, Aleem Dar, and former cricketers Azhar Ali and Aaqib Javed. The three-pronged committee joined Asad Shafiq and Hassan Cheema to make key decisions for the team before the second Test began. Later, it was revealed via credible reports that PCB had stripped Test captain Shan Masood and red-ball coach Jason Gillespie of any role in the selection of the players. The reports were later confirmed by Gillespie who made no bone about his frustration with this sudden change which, as per Jason, he did not sign up for initially.
It turns out Gary Kirsten disagreed with the involvement of the committee in this process for Pakistan’s white-ball circuit and wanted his input to be considered in the decision-making process. PCB chairman, Mohsin Naqvi, was flanked by Aaqib Javed, the new white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan, and his deputy Salman Ali Agha when he announced the squads yesterday. Kirsten was not even in the country at the moment of the press conference, which further confirms the reports.
Pakistan begin their ODI tour against Australia in less than a week, which will be their first 50-over game after their exit from the ODI World Cup last year in India. This means that Kirsten will leave the side without coaching Pakistan even for a single one-day International, though he was with the side during the T20 World Cup in June this year.
Kirsten coached India from 2008 until 2011, the year when the side won their first ODI World Cup after 28 years. For PCB, it was a huge headache finding coaches for the team since many sought-after coaches declined the offer, apparently, due to the tumultuous nature of management within Pakistan’s cricket circuit. It was the first time PCB hired split coaches for white-ball and red-ball formats.
For the upcoming six-match Australian tour, which starts on Monday, Jason Gillespie will be the interim white-ball coach. However, it is not clear yet whether PCB intends to appoint Gillespie as the full-time all-format coach. Shortly after the Aussie tour down under, Pakistan have to fly to Zimbabwe for another white-ball series. From what it looks, the Pakistan Board plans to get a new coach for the team by then, however, that is a classic case of easier said than done keeping in view that not many fancy working for Pakistan in the management role.
Recently, former Pakistan’s coach Mickey Arthur, who coached Pakistan to win the Champions Trophy in 2017, took to his X (Twitter) account and blasted the administration at the PCB by saying,
“Just a few thoughts as a follower of Pakistan cricket! … The inconsistency around selection, environment, and administration plays a role in team morale; give the players structure and they will perform!”
