Pakistan Cricket faces yet another setback as head coach Jason Gillespie resigns from his role, citing differences with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Gillespie, appointed as the red-ball head coach earlier this year, stepped down on Thursday, marking the second high-profile coaching departure in just a month.
This development follows Gary Kirsten’s resignation as the white-ball head coach, also due to clashes with the board. Gillespie’s exit comes at a critical time, with Pakistan gearing up for a two-match Test series against South Africa starting December 26.
Reports suggest that Gillespie’s relationship with the PCB had been strained for months. His decision to resign was made clear when he refused to board his scheduled flight to South Africa on Friday morning. In response, the PCB moved quickly to name Aaqib Javed as the interim head coach for the Test series.
Already serving as the white-ball head coach after Kirsten’s departure, Javed will now oversee both formats. “The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has named Aqib Javed as interim red-ball head coach of the Pakistan men’s cricket team following the resignation of red-ball head-coach Jason Gillespie,” the PCB announced in a statement.
Dickwella’s three-year ban was reduced to just three months after a successful appeal.
What went wrong?
Both Kirsten and Gillespie joined Pakistan cricket in April with high expectations. However, cracks began to show early due to poor communication between the PCB and the coaches.
The situation worsened last month when the PCB made a controversial decision to exclude head coaches from the squad selection process. Kirsten was reportedly infuriated by this move and resigned immediately.
For Gillespie, the tipping point came when the PCB decided not to renew the contract of Tim Nielsen, the high-performance red-ball coach, without consulting him. Feeling disrespected and sidelined, Gillespie chose to part ways with the board.
Gillespie’s resignation leaves Pakistan cricket in turmoil, with back-to-back coaching exits and critical fixtures ahead.
