Gary Kirsten resigns as Pakistan’s white-ball cricket coach amid power rift

Former World Cup winning manager Kirsten leaves hardly six months into his relation successful complaint of the men’s ODI and T20 teams amid increasing disagreements with the PCB.

Gary Kirsten has stepped down arsenic manager of Pakistan’s men’s limited-overs cricket teams six months aft his appointment amid an ongoing powerfulness conflict with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

The erstwhile South African batter and manager parted ways with the white-ball teams connected Monday, a time aft Pakistan’s squads for their upcoming one-day planetary (ODI) and T20 tours of Australia and Zimbabwe were announced – ostensibly without his input successful the selection.

Jason Gillespie, Pakistan’s Test squad coach, volition beryllium astatine the helm of the squad during the tours but has not been confirmed arsenic a imperishable replacement for Kirsten.

“Jason Gillespie volition manager the Pakistan men’s cricket squad connected adjacent month’s white-ball circuit of Australia aft Gary Kirsten submitted his resignation, which was accepted,” the PCB said successful a connection connected X.

The Pakistan Cricket Board contiguous announced Jason Gillespie volition manager the Pakistan men’s cricket squad connected adjacent month’s white-ball circuit of Australia aft Gary Kirsten submitted his resignation, which was accepted.

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) October 28, 2024

Kirsten and erstwhile Australian accelerated bowler Gillespie were announced arsenic the white-ball and red-ball coaches respectively amid fanfare connected April 28 and were tasked with starring the revival of the erstwhile satellite champions aft their caller slump successful planetary cricket.

The high-profile coaches’ appointments were touted a promising determination and some were reassured wide-ranging power successful the enactment and moving of their respective squads.

However, their roles arsenic selectors were revoked successful caller weeks arsenic the PCB hired a new-look enactment committee led by erstwhile Pakistan accelerated bowler Aqib Javed.

The committee besides included erstwhile International Cricket Council (ICC) elite umpire Aleem Dar, ex-players Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq, arsenic good arsenic cricket expert Hassan Cheema.

Both Kirsten and Gillespie, arsenic good arsenic Pakistan’s Test and limited-overs captains, were removed from the enactment sheet which chose the squad for Pakistan’s 2nd and 3rd Test matches against England earlier naming the ODI and T20 squads connected Sunday.

Pakistan besides named wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan their caller white-ball captain, with all-rounder Salman Ali Agha arsenic his deputy, soon aft the squad announcement.

Javed accompanied PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi arsenic helium announced Rizwan’s assignment portion Kirsten remained retired of the picture. There was nary notation of Kirsten successful the quality merchandise announcing the squads.

Kirsten and Gillespie had promised a semipermanent imaginativeness for the squads, which included greater absorption connected players’ fittingness and an betterment successful the fielding standards, some areas wherever Pakistan has traditionally lagged down different starring cricket nations.

Kirsten took connected the relation with a glittering resume, having coached India to their 2nd 50-over ICC World Cup rubric astatine location successful 2011.

Gillespie, who oversaw Pakistan’s archetypal location Test bid triumph successful astir 4 years, had earlier expressed his vexation and disappointment astatine being sidelined from the enactment role.

“When I came connected committee with Pakistan cricket, I was told determination was a semipermanent plan, and we request to marque definite our connection is spot-on,” Gillespie told Sky Sports earlier the October 24-28 3rd Test successful Rawalpindi.

The 49-year-old said the changeless changes near him “frustrated”.

“Lots of things alteration successful Pakistan astatine the driblet of a hat. You conscionable benignant of instrumentality that successful your stride and recognize that this is the situation you’re in. I’ve got to ever retrieve that I’m a foreigner successful Pakistan and I’ve got to respect that and that things are astir apt done otherwise to what I’m utilized to oregon what I expect successful the situation I’ve travel from successful Australia.”

Gillespie said his far-reduced relation successful the moving of the Test broadside was not what helium had “signed up for”.

“Since I’ve been involved, we are already connected our 3rd enactment panel.”

The erstwhile pacer was portion of Australia’s ICC World Cup-winning squad successful 2003. He volition present beryllium tasked with coaching Pakistan arsenic they statesman preparations for a location ICC Champions Trophy 2025 with an ODI circuit of Australia.

Pakistan volition play 3 ODIs (November 4, 8 and 10) and 3 T20s (November 14, 16 and 18) successful Australia earlier travelling to Zimbabwe for different ODI and T20 series.