Pakistan opt for split-coaching, rope in Gary Kirsten for white-ball and Jason Gillespie for tests

Gary Kirsten was Indian cricket team’s head coach when they won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on Sunday, April 28, 2024, announced that they have roped in former South Africa opener Gary Kirsten as Pakistan’s white-ball coach. On the other hand, Jason Gillespie, the former Australia pacer, was named the head coach of the Pakistan Test team.

Azhar Mahmood has also been confirmed as an assistant coach across all formats. The three appointments have been made for two years following a recruitment process.

The statement issued at the PCB offices in Lahore follows months of turbulence at the board, during which the coaching staff, captains, and management all changed after Pakistan finished fifth in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in India, failing to advance to the semi-finals.

Grant Bradburn quit as Pakistan’s head coach in January, two months after the World Cup, and team director Mickey Arthur and batting coach Andrew Puttick quickly followed suit.

Following the team’s unsuccessful tour of Australia and New Zealand, Mohammad Hafeez, a former Pakistani all-rounder, took over as head coach and team director, replacing Bradburn and Arthur. Pakistan lost the Test series 3-0 to world champions Australia and the Twenty20 series 4-1 to New Zealand.

“I am grateful to the PCB for their faith in my abilities”- Jason Gillespie; “It’s a tremendous honor to be entrusted with the responsibility”- Gary Kirsten

Gillespie will take charge of the team from ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 games against Bangladesh (at home in August), followed by tests against England (at home in October) and South Africa (away in December) in the 2024-25 season.

“I am grateful to the PCB for their faith in my abilities and giving me the honor of coaching one of the most highly-regarded and talented cricket teams in the traditional format of the sport. Leading the Pakistan cricket team is a big achievement for any coach, given its rich legacy and passionate fan base.

I love Test cricket and being able to focus on that is something I like very much. I also love the fact that there is so much talent in Pakistan. I like to think that I can help in some way to grow and develop the players. I want to win Tests – that is why I am taking this role. I love winning and I know we have got the skill to make that happen,” Gillespie was quoted by the PCB website.

Kirsten will take over the team immediately after completing his assignment in the Indian Premier League. During his tenure, in addition to the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and other bilateral white-ball series, Kirsten will lead the team in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, the ACC T20 Asia Cup 2025, and the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.

On the other hand, Kirsten said: “It’s a tremendous honor to be entrusted with the responsibility of coaching the Pakistan men’s national team in white-ball cricket and to rejoin the international cricket arena after some time. I eagerly anticipate this opportunity and aim to contribute positively to the Pakistan men’s national team in limited-overs cricket. My goal is to unite the Pakistan men’s white-ball team, harnessing their considerable talents towards a common objective, and achieving success together on the field.”

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket for IPL 2024 Live Score & IPL Points Table,  on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.