Pakistan appoint Jason Gillespie as head coach for white-ball tour of Australia

Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed Jason Gillespie as the head coach for the white-ball series against Australia. This move follows the resignation of Gary Kirsten, whose departure was officially accepted by the board on Monday. “The Pakistan Cricket Board today announced Jason Gillespie will coach the Pakistan men’s cricket team on next month’s white-ball tour of Australia after Gary Kirsten submitted his resignation, which was accepted,” PCB posted on X. Gillespie, who is currently serving as the head coach for Pakistan’s red-ball team, will now take on the responsibility of guiding the ODI and T20I squads. The upcoming tour, starting November 4 in Melbourne, will feature three ODIs and as many T2OIs. Kirsten’s tenure as head coach began in April 2024 following his successful run with the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League. However, his time with Pakistan was fraught with challenges. Under his leadership, the team faced a series loss against England and suffered disappointing eliminations from the recent T20 World Cup, including losses to the United States and India that dashed their hopes of advancing in the tournament. Compounding the challenges, coaches within the PCB have expressed feelings of being sidelined amid the increasing authority of the selection committee. Following a series of poor performances, the PCB appointed a new selection panel- its third in three months – comprising former players Aaqib Javed, Aleem Dar, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq and Hassan Cheema. Notably, this committee made decisions without consulting the coaching staff or the team captain. PCB on Sunday appointed wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan as white-ball captain while allrounder Salman Ali Agha was named his deputy. Rizwan succeeded Babar Azam who had left the role earlier this month after being reappointed before the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA. –IANS