Just six months into his tenure as coach of Pakistan’s white-ball teams, Gary Kirsten has stepped down due to irreconcilable differences regarding the team’s operations.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed Jason Gillespie, the current red-ball coach, to take over.
Cricpulse previously reported on Kirsten’s potential exit, and on Monday morning, the PCB officially confirmed the parting ways with the former India World Cup-winning coach ahead of the twin tours to Australia and Zimbabwe, where Pakistan will play six white-ball matches each.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board today announced that Jason Gillespie will coach the Pakistan men’s cricket team during next month’s white-ball tour of Australia following Gary Kirsten’s resignation, which was accepted,” the PCB stated in a brief announcement.
A portion of the 15-member ODI squad departed for Australia on Monday, with the remainder set to follow on Tuesday.
Sources indicate that significant differences of opinion arose between Kirsten and the players.
While the PCB may not have directly influenced the situation, Kirsten’s request to appoint David Reid as a High Performance coach was not approved by the board, which instead proposed alternatives that did not sit well with Kirsten.
Additionally, the PCB removed Kirsten, along with Gillespie, from the selection panels after initially including them in these committees.
This decision drew criticism from Mickey Arthur, a former Pakistan coach, who stated, “You can’t not have input from the coach in terms of selection; he interacts with the players daily.
For his role to be taken seriously, he needs to communicate clearly about player roles and provide feedback!” Kirsten did not respond to Cricpulse inquiries.
In just six months, tensions have escalated within Pakistan’s white-ball setup.
With less than four months remaining before the Champions Trophy, the PCB may need to seek a full-time replacement for Kirsten.
This situation is far from ideal, especially since Pakistan will be hosting an ICC tournament for the first time in over two decades.
It remains unclear whether Gillespie, who recently led the Test side to a comeback series win against England, will continue through to the Champions Trophy.
Kirsten took charge of Pakistan’s white-ball teams in mid-May after completing his assignment with the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
He joined the squad in England, where Pakistan suffered a series loss to Jos Buttler’s team.
The team’s struggles persisted into the T20 World Cup, where they faced an unexpected defeat against the USA and a close loss to India, eliminating their chances of advancing to the knockout stage of the ICC event in June.
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