The problems in Pakistan cricket are not coming to an end soon as Jason Gillespie has now stepped down from his role as the team’s head coach in Test cricket. In his place, Aaqib Javed will serve as Pakistan’s head coach on an interim basis.
Gillespie informed his decision to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on December 12 (Thursday). His decision came just a few hours before the Pakistan cricket team departed for their tour of South Africa, where he was about to serve as the team’s head coach for the upcoming two-match Test series.
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Jason Gillespie resigns as Pakistan’s Test head coach
The reason for Jason Gillespie’s resignation is not yet clear but it is believed that he was not pleased with the PCB’s recent decision to end the high-performance red-ball coach Tim Nielsen’s contract suddenly.
Gillespie started considering various options it is believed that he was left offended after not being consulted, or told before a decision was taken on Nielsen’s removal. Both Gillespie and Nielsen have shared good relations during the past few months.
Nielsen had stated earlier that he is available for Pakistan’s Test series in South Africa and the subsequent home series against West Indies, however, his contract wasn’t extended by the PCB.
Jason Gillespie was appointed by the PCB for the role of Pakistan’s men’s head coach in Test cricket in early 2023 for two years. However, he is believed to be unhappy with some of the decisions of the PCB for the past few months.
He was removed from the selection panel which was involved in making some crucial decisions about the team during the Test series against England. The former Australia pacer also let out his disappointment in public by saying that he was merely a “match-day strategist”.
Jason Gillespie’s tenure as Pakistan’s red-ball head coach
Gillespie’s tenure as Pakistan’s head coach saw a few ups and downs. In his first assignment as head coach of the team, Pakistan suffered a shocking 0-2 series defeat in a home Test series against Bangladesh.
However, Pakistan went on to win the subsequent Test series at home against England 2-1 under Jason Gillespie. It was during this series that the distances between Gillespie and the PCB began.
Big blow for Pakistan’s cricket
This is not the first time that Pakistan cricket has faced such a situation. Gary Kirsten, who was appointed the team’s white-ball head coach along with Gillespie earlier this year, resigned from his role in October after being supposedly unhappy with the PCB.
The resignation of Jason Gillespie is bad news for Pakistan cricket. It is not a great sign for Pakistan cricket as two foreign coaches have resigned in the past three months. As a result, it will be difficult for the PCB to appoint a foreign coach this time.
Gillespie’s decision comes at a time when Pakistan cricket is going through a precarious situation. The PCB is in a standoff with the ICC and the BCCI over the hosting rights of the Champions Trophy which will be played earlier next year.